A new generation
by Emily the Tsarina of Tokyo
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome's daughter Kira is drawn into a mysterious world when the ancient well is re-awakened. A lot of the characters are ones I made up, but you'll see some old friends. KiraxOC. T to be safe, but I don't know if its totally neccessary.
1. Chapter 1

"Kira!"

The raven-haired girl looked up from the rice she was putting in a basket, to see her friend running towards her. "What?"

Suki reached her saying, "Shouldn't you be heading back to your house? It'll take you a while to get there."

Kira laughed. "I don't have to be there till dark."

Suki shuddered. "Yeah, but didn't your dad say to get home as soon as you could? Inuyasha-sama is scary when he's angry."

"My mom can take care of him."

"Yeah, I guess so. Kagome-sama is my hero. She's always able to calm your dad down with her strong will."

"And threatening him with the 'sit' command doesn't hurt either."

Both girls giggled.

Kira sighed. "But you're probably right, I do need to be heading home now. I'll see you tommorow Suki!" She grabbed her basket and ran off, waving.

"Bye Kira!" Suki shouted after her.

"Was that Kira-sama?" Takida popped up behind Suki.

"Uh, maybe..." Suki stuttered, not wanting to betray her friend to the slime-ball. He had been pursuing Kira for months, trying to woo her. Kira always answered him with a slap across the face and some harsh words to go with it. She really did not like Takida.

"I must follow her, for she will be my bride someday!" Takida was about to sprint after Kira, but Suki tripped him.

"Leave Kira alone! She doesn't like you, and neither do I!" she said, knocking him out with her wooden geta.

Kira whistled to herself, gazing at the small meadow to her right. The Sumire violets were blooming, and a few small butterflies were flitting about. Up ahead, the view became noticeably less beautiful, where a rocky range of small mountains and forests loomed. The only path through it was small, and only allowed for two travelers at the same time. But this was the way Kira had to go. The village lay beyond the small mountains, and slightly apart and beyond the village lay her home.

As she got closer, Kira adjusted the basket of rice on her back and touched her small furry ears on top of her head - a nervous habit. Everyone said she looked like her mother, Kagome, with her dark hair and bangs, but she had her father's dog-demon blood in her as well. She had inherited Inuyasha's dog-ears, but instead of being white like his, hers were black, like her hair.

She also had his claw-like nails, which could be lethal weapons with her personalized Sankon Tesso and Hijin Kesso, and highly developed senses and speed.

About halfway through the mountain range, Kira's ears twitched. She stopped abruptly, sniffing the air around her. A demon was nearby, and Kira heard it racing towards her through the trees.

She turned to her left, just in time to see a giant lizard-like demon burst through the tree fringe. It barreled into her, knocking her against the rock face behind her.

Kira recovered quickly, and dropping her rice basket, she side-stepped to avoid the demon's giant swishing tail. She sprang into the air, slashing with her claws, and yelling, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

The lizard-demon was torn apart by her attack, instantly killing it. But as the halves tumbled to the ground, the tail whipped into the air, catching Kira's leg with it's sharp barb it threw her against the mountain side. She slid to the ground.

Kira winced at the red wound on her leg. It would heal quickly, but she hated to think how her father would react when he saw it.

"Hey, you! What the **** gives?"

A tall, well-built, man was standing by the lizard-demon pieces. His arms were crossed, but one hand held a large sword. He smelled like a wolf-demon.

"Excuse me?" Kira said.

"Are you the one who killed this demon?"

Kira looked at the slain yokai as if seeing it for the first time. "Uh, yeah."

"That demon was MY quarry. And you just butt in here and kill it! Who do you think you are?" He strode over to her, and since Kira was sitting, she suddenly found herself looking up into the face of a very angry man.

"Uh, he almost killed me." Kira's tongue seemed to be lost at the moment.

"So?" The man stared coldly down at her.

All of the sudden, Kira found her tongue, and got very, very mad.

"So? So, I had to defend myself! If I hadn't done anything, I'd be dead right now! What's your problem?"

Something in the man's expression faltered, and he blinked, stuttering, "Well, I was hunting it, and you - you killed it, but I was going to-"

"I don't care about your lame excuses, it's your "I-rule-the-world" attitude that ticks me off! I killed the demon, get over it!"

She tried to stand up to shout at him better, but when she put her weight on her wounded leg, an intense and agonizing pain shot through her.

Kira fell back to the ground with a gasp.

"What's the matter with you?" The man asked, still irritated.

"When I killed YOUR demon, it's tail smashed me against this rock. I think it broke my leg, but I didn't notice it until now." Kira said, after examining her leg

He sniggered. "How can you not notice a broken leg?"

She glared at him. "Maybe it's because a certain wolf-boy was distracting me with his bad attitude!"

That stopped him laughing. He sighed in resignation, and squatted down to Kira's level. "Here, let me look at it,"

Kira jerked back from him. "Thanks, but no thanks. I've got to get home, if you don't mind." She hauled herself up, using the rocks behind her as a support.

"Hey, what are you doing? You can't walk on that leg!"

"Don't tell me what to do! I can and I will! I have to get this rice home before dark." Kira shouldered the basket and braced herself. She held her head high and stepped down on her wounded leg - and promptly collapsed with a cry of pain.

Aykono shook his head. "I told you so. Sheesh, you're so dumb."

When Kira didn't answer, he bent down and shook her shoulder. "Hey, you ok?"

Her eyes were closed, and even after he shook her harder, she didn't respond.

Aykono groaned. "Oh great, she knocked herself out with the pain. I gotta get her off this path."

Emily, Tzarmina of Tokyo: hey guys! this is the first chapter of my absolutely first fanfic ever! eeee! oops, pardon my fangirl shriek, but i am very very excited! so, in case you haven't noticed it's a story about Kagome and Inuyasha's daughter Kira, and - oops, i can't tell you who Aykono is, but you may have guessed who he is already. i've been wanting to write this for a long time, so i'll try to write the chapters as fast as i can.

Aykono: Hey, why did you put asterisks in my opening line?

ETT: because you swore.

A: So?

ETT: i don't allow swearing in my stories.

A: It's the way I talk!

ETT: it's not a very nice way to talk...

Kira: Aykono! You behave youself and listen to our author!

ETT: oh ya, i'm the author... *ahem* so, Aykono, stop swearing in my stories! that's the end of this.

A: No, it's not!

ETT: "If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better shut up and pay attention!"

A: What's that supposed to mean, Sister Mary Clarence?

ETT: if you wanna stay in the story, shut up and stop swearing!

A: You can't take me out of the story!

ETT: yes i can

A: You wouldn't dare...

ETT: oh really? then why is my finger hovering over the DELETE button, huh?

A: Ok, ok! I'll be good! *runs off quickly*

K: You were bluffing, weren't you?

ETT: duh. i can't take him out of the story. *adds quickly,* but don't tell HIM that.

K: I wouldn't dream of it. *laughs*

I don't own Inuyasha or Kagome or Sankon Tesso or Hijin Kesso or Iron Reaver Soul Stealer. Rumiko Takahashi is the brilliant mind behind those things.

The only things I own are Kira, Aykono, Suki and Takida. And this story!

Review if you don't want to be attacked my fluffy black cat minions from Tokyo! Just kidding... Or am I?


	2. Chapter 2

Kira awoke to a light shining in her eyes. She sat up, blinking at her surroundings. She was in a small thatched hut, with a dirt floor, and a doorway that was covered with an animal skin. Her broken leg had been splinted. There was light seeping through a gap between the doorway and the cloth, and Kira realized that was what had woken her up.

She stood to go outside, but she fell back to the ground when she felt the pain in her leg. Kira was reminded of the events of yesterday. The last thing she remembered was trying to leave to go home. And then, excruciating pain. She hated to admit he was right, but she should have listened to that arrogant wolf-demon.

Hauling herself up very slowly, Kira used the wall of the hut to support herself, and made her way to the opening. She pulled back the covering, and was amazed to see - and smell - an entire tribe of wolf-demons. It practically reeked of them. The hut was one of a few, built about ten meters away from a waterfall. The wolf-demons didn't seem to pay any heed to the bewildered and forlorn looking dog-demon girl standing in the doorway of the hut.

That is, until, a red-haired woman cooking fish nearby suddenly started to sniff the air, and then turned to look at her.

Kira wondered if she should try to cut and run, even though she knew she wouldn't get far on her broken leg.

As if a chain-reaction had been started, all the other wolf-demons' noses began twitching, and they all turned to stare at Kira.

This was not good.

Just as the wolf-demons started running to attack – and just when Kira thought she was done for –, the red-haired woman who had first noticed her let out a whistle.

The wolf-demons stopped to look at her.

"Hey, you bone-heads! Aykono told you last night that you weren't to hurt the girl!" The woman spoke with command and authority that was heeded by the tribe. They turned and left quickly, returning to their previous chores.

"I'm sorry about that, it would never have happened if my husband was here, but he's away hunting with my son."

Kira was confused by this.

"Who?"

The woman laughed. "I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. I am Ayame, wife of the wolf-demon tribe's chieftain Kouga. Aykono is my son."

"Is Aykono the wolf-demon who got upset at me for killing the lizard-demon?"

Ayame blinked. "You killed that demon? It was a clean kill, and our warriors were able to bring it back easily. But when Aykono brought you here, he never told us you killed it, or that he got angry with you. He just said that he found you with your leg broken and wounded on the path where he killed the yokai."

"Yeah, he said something about hunting it. He's gone hunting again, you said?" Kira asked.

"Hai, and I would be hunting with him and his father, but I decided I should stay and watch over you." Kira noted that Ayame was wearing armor, and not a regular kimono.

"Thank you for splinting my leg. I'm sorry to have caused you trouble. I am in your debt." Kira bowed.

"It was no trouble at all. Your leg is mending quickly, despite having been broken only a few days ago."

Kira's head jerked up.

"A few days ago? How long have I been unconscious?"

"Four days."

"Oh no! My family must be so worried! I can't believe I was asleep for four days! I have to get back home!"

Ayame looked at her curiously. "You smell familiar. Who are your parents?"

"Inuyasha and Kagome."

Ayame nearly fell over in shock. "Inuyasha and Kagome? You're their daughter?"

"Do you know them?" Kira asked, surprised at her reaction.

"Know them? My husband used to have a crush on your mother a long time ago, and he absolutely hated your father! Kagome and I became good friends after we each got married, but our Inuyasha and Kouga were always enemies!"

Kira's eyes opened wide.

"Wait a minute. You mean your husband is _the_ Kouga? My dad always used to tell stories about a 'wolf-boy' trying to steal my mom, and then my mom would always say that Kouga was alright now that he was married!"

Ayame grinned in embarrassment. "Uh, ha ha, yeah, that's my husband alright."

"Who's your husband alright?"

Kira and Ayame turned to see a well-built man, carrying several dead yokai on his back, coming toward them. He stopped, and sniffed the air, growling. "I'd know that smell anywhere! It's that stupid puppy's scent!"

He sniffed again. "But it's different this time….."

Ayame took his arm and dragged him over.

"Dear, this is Kira. She's the girl Aykono brought back with a broken leg.

"She's also Kagome and Inuyasha's daughter. Kira, this is my husband, Kouga."

Emily, Tsarmina of Tokyo: hey everyone! sorry i'm so late in getting the second chapter up, but i have school, and i had a little writer's block. ok, so does everyone get it now? the rude dude from the path is Aykono, and his parents are Kouga and Ayame! sorry about the mild cliff-hanger, but it's a little suspenseful, right? how is Kouga going to react now that he knows who Kira is? how will Kira get home with a broken leg? and where's Aykono?

Aykono: I'm right here!

ETT: i was talking about in the story. i don't need you for anything right now, but i'll call you when you're supposed to show up in the story.

Aykono: Oh, ok. *goes off to sulk*

ETT (to no one in particular): wow, he's a little bit of a baby….

Ayame: Tell me about it! I've had to deal with him for eighteen years!

ETT: how did you do it?

Ayame: _Lots_ of spankings.

ETT: hold on a second, i'll be right back. *grabs Kira and goes to find Aykono*

Kira: What are we doing?

ETT: you'll see in a moment…. *finds Aykono*

Aykono: *still sulking* What do you want?

ETT: you got lots of spankings? *bursts out laughing*

Aykono: *turns red*

ETT: *still laughing her head off*

Kira: You did?

Ok, guys, I don't own Inuyasha, Kagome, Kouga, or Ayame. They belong to the brilliant Rumiko Takahashi! The only ones I own are Aykono and Kira. And this story. Please, please, please, please rate and review! Or my fluffy Tokyo cat minions will attack you with their unbearable cuteness (and possibly their sharp claws and teeth). I also have a poll on my profile page that no on has taken! Why, why, why, why? Take it or my fluffy Tokyo cat minions will….. well, you know. Thanks for reading! ^_^


	3. Chapter 3

The world stood still for a few seconds.

In that moment, Kira thought to herself, _I am so DEAD._

Kouga roared, "YOU MEAN THIS IS THE CHILD OF THAT GOOD-FOR-NOTHING PUPPY, AND YOU LET _IT_ INTO MY CAMP?"

Ayame slammed her fist down onto the top of his head. "You unfeeling brute, you're scaring her! Just SHUT UP!"

Kira hadn't dared to _breathe_ until now, but she drew in a deep breath and calmed her rattled nerves. She braced herself and took a small limp forward.

"Excuse me, sir. I am not an _it_."

Kouga and Ayame turned to look at her.

"What did you say?" Kouga asked.

"You called me 'it'. I am not an _it_. But from the way you're behaving, sir, I would say that you might be an 'it'."

_Ok,_ Kira thought. _NOW I'm dead_.

The wolf-chieftain just stared at her.

Ayame gave him a disdainful side-long glance. "She's right, you know."

Kouga finally growled at Kira. "Did that puppy send you?"

She shook her head.

"Then why are you here?" Kouga snapped.

"She's here because I brought her here." This came from Aykono, who had mysteriously appeared beside Kira. "She broke her leg on the mountain path, and I found her and brought her back. I thought I already told you all this."

"Yeah, but you never said anything about her being that puppy's daughter!"

Aykono looked taken aback. "You mean she's Inuyasha and Kagome's daughter?" He looked at Kira.

"You never asked." she said, answering his unspoken question.

Turning to his parents, Aykono asked, "Well, what are we supposed to do with her? We can't just kick her out, she's injured."

Kouga ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, we definitely can't bring the puppy here. But if that Inuyasha finds out we're keeping his daughter here, he'll think we kidnapped her or something."

"Oh, maybe he won't, I mean, after all, she is injured. I'm sure he'll understand." Ayame said hopefully.

"I guess knocking her out and leaving her somewhere is out of the question."

"Uh, you guys do know I can hear you, right?" Kira asked.

"Kouga, what an awful idea! I can't believe you'd even think of that!"

"Yeah, dad, are you crazy or something?"

"I'm just exploring all the possibilities…."

"DON'T explore anymore possibilities like that."

"We still haven't decided what to do with her."

"HELLO! I am standing right here!" Kira said, waving her hands.

When she was sure she had gotten their attention, Kira continued, "I know exactly what you'll _do_ with me. If you don't mind, I'll stay here until my leg is well enough to travel on, and then I'll go home. I'll just explain what happened to my parents, and I won't mention any of your names."

There was a small moment of silent contemplation.

"She's good." Aykono said.

"I could have eventually figured out something like that!" Kouga said, a little miffed.

Ayame snorted. "By the time you did, her leg would be healed." She thought for a moment, then, looking at Aykono, she said, "Why don't you show Kira around the camp?"

"Do I gotta?"

"Yes, you gotta."

He groaned. "Alright, let's go."

Grabbing Kira's arm a bit roughly, he took off as fast as Kira could hobble with her splinted leg.

He pointed out different wolf-demons and explained how the tribe worked. When they had made an almost entire circuit of the camp, he took her to the waterfall, where she gratefully sat down to rest her leg.

Throughout the whole tour, Kira had been quiet, and she continued to be as she stared out at the crystal water and the sparkling waters that disrupted it. It would have been peaceful and serene, and quite beautiful, if it weren't for the occasional noises from the wolf-demon tribe and the large figure of Aykono looming over her. His bushy tail twitched slightly in restlessness.

"Are you just going to sit there?"

Kira didn't even make an attempt to reply.

Aykono tried again. "So, your name is Kira?"

This time she spared him an irritated glance. "You're in no position to talk to me."

"What do you mean?"

Kira turned around to glare at him. "Why did you tell everyone that you killed that yokai on the path? We both know who _really_ slew it."

"Because if I said a girl beat me to the kill, I'd never be able to show my face around here again," Aykono said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Then how are you going to explain how I got my leg broken and wounded?"

"Uh, I don't know…. If you're so smart, why don't _you_ come up with something?"

Kira sat in thought for a moment or two.

Finally, she said slowly, "Ok, I've got it. We're going to make you sound all heroic and stuff. I was walking home from picking rice when the lizard-demon attacked me, wounding and breaking my leg, and knocking me out in the process.

"The great hunter (that's you, unfortunately) saved the unconscious girl before she was devoured by the _terrifying_ beast, and used your awesome skills to take out the demon. How's that?"

Aykono stared at her. "You really _are_ good!"

"It's 'cause I've got brains. Unlike _someone_, apparently…"

"Hey!"

"Do whatever you want now that you've got your story. I'm going to the other side of the waterfall."

One short climb later, Kira sat on the opposite bank of where she had been earlier. This side was fringed by trees that provided shade against the noon sun.

Kira was glad the wolf-demon family had agreed to let her stay, but she didn't know how she was going to put up with Aykono until her leg was better. He was so arrogant, but at times, it he almost seemed about to say or do something nice.

He was like a puzzle that she wanted to solve.

Kira was considering possibilities as to why Aykono acted the way he did, when a presence behind her made her turn around quickly. She had been so deep in thought that by the time she noticed it, it was too late.

Kira was slammed to the ground by a large body. She stared up at a pair of golden eyes and a wolfish grin. His hand covered her mouth, keeping her from screaming. He bent his head down to sensuously smell her hair.

"Well, who _is_ this pretty little plaything?"

The same trees that had shaded her, now prevented Kira from being seen by anyone across the waterfall.


	4. Chapter 4

Kira struggled and tried to knee her attacker in the groin, but he sensed what she was doing and grabbed her leg preventing her from hitting him.

"It's no use little girly, you're completely at my mercy. I'll try to be nice, but I may not be able to control myself with such a cute toy…"

He looked down at the leg he was holding and saw that it was splinted up. "Now, where did you get that? Not from someone else who wanted to play with you, I hope. I'm pretty possessive about these things and I might just have to kill whoever it was that damaged you."

Kira bit into the hand that was covering her mouth with her fangs, but instead of screaming when her mouth was free, she said, "You're too late, it was a lizard yokai that did that to me, and I killed it. And I'll be forced to kill you as well, if you don't unhand me _right_ _now_."

Her attacker laughed, but did not free her. "You? Kill _me_? You must be joking, little kitten. Or should I say little puppy?" At her surprised look he laughed again. "Oh, yes, I know what you are. I can smell that you're a little dog-demon. But you don't smell like _all_ dog-demon, so you must be a little half-breed."

Kira's eyes flashed with a golden and red fire, and in rush of adrenaline and anger, she wrenched her arm from beneath him. Extending her claws, she raked her hand across his cheek, leaving red, dripping scratches.

He growled and grabbed her arm pinning her down even more securely. "I like a little spirit, but I'm beginning to think you've got a little too much. I'll make this quick, since you don't seem too excited about it..."

All her anger turned into fear, and Kira's brain raced as the unknown attacker bent closer to her to do who-knows-what.

A crashing sound made both their heads turn quickly.

It was Aykono, making a lot of noise emerging through the trees that led to the path over the waterfall.

"Hey, Kira! I can't remember, in our cover story, are you already unconscious when I—."

It only took a few seconds for Aykono to figure out the situation when he saw Kira's pleading, scared eyes and the guy on top of her, pinning her body down.

In a flash, Aykono had the guy up against a tree with his sword at his throat.

"Glad you're back from the hunt, Aykono. I hope you brought back lots of meat."

Aykono snarled. "Don't try talking your way out of this, Shun. What did you think you were doing with Kira?"

Shun looked over Aykono's shoulder at Kira, who was furious and trembling at the same time.

"Oh, so her name is Kira. A pretty name for a pretty girl." He was cut off from saying anything further when the blade was pressed harder against his throat.

Kira walked around to stand beside Aykono. "You know this guy?"

"Unfortunately," he replied, grimacing.

Shun smiled wickedly. "Yeah, we're good friends."

"Friends?" She shot Aykono a panicked look.

He gritted his teeth. "Yes, but I'm not like this sleazy dirt-bag." To Shun, he said, "You better have been kidding around when you had Kira pinned to the ground, or I swear I'll kill you."

"Relax, I wasn't gonna do anything. I was just scaring the little dog-demon."

"You know her name now, why don't you use it."

Aykono released him, and half expected Kira to run away or at least back away, but instead, she circled the man who had pinned her down minutes before, with a curious air. Shun looked at her in amazement, "Uh, aren't you still scared of me?"

"Duh. It's just, you're not that much of a threat anymore."

He looked a little dejected. "Really?"

"If you were, I might have already scratched your eyes out."

"You're almost as scary as Aykono."

"Good."

Aykono scratched his head. "I think she's scarier than me."

"Even better." Kira replied, and without missing a beat she added, "Now, what did you want to know about our cover story?"

"Oh yeah, are you already unconscious when I find you?"

She sighed. "Yes."

Shun looked at both of them. "What cover story?"

Before Aykono could stop her, Kira said, "You know that lizard yokai I told you I killed? It's the same one Aykono brought back a few days ago. He already told everyone that _he_ killed it, so we made up a cover story to go with it."

"Wait, I thought you were joking. You killed that thing? It was monstrous!"

Kira smiled kindly. "All the more reason we need to keep what really happened a secret. Do you mind sticking with our cover story?"

Shun grinned wolfishly. "I don't mind doing anything you ask."

Kira's glare withered him. "Watch it. I may not kill you, but I don't like you. And there are things worse than death, you know."

He hid behind Aykono until Kira had made it halfway over the waterfall, then he sniggered.

Aykono looked at him. "What's so funny?"

"You got beat by a girl!" Still laughing, Shun followed Kira.

Aykono growled and ran after him. "Kira might have to wait in line to get at you, you scummy little low-life."

Because the hunt had been so successful, Kouga declared a feast to be held that very night. The air was cool, but the large cooking fires warmed everyone up. The entire tribe of wolf-demons was congregated in the middle of the camp, and Kira felt a bit uncomfortable with all the curious stares that were directed towards her. She got separated from Aykono and Shun, and was left by herself among the crowd getting food. Her appetite also left her. After grabbing something that looked like the drumstick of a small bird-demon, she sat on the outer edge of the group, just close enough that she stayed warm.

Her thoughts drifted away from the feast and into the stars. Small fireflies flitted about, catching Kira's attention as one practically flew into her face. She laughed and swatted it away. The sounds in the background faded away to a low murmur, and Kira felt an immense peace wrap around her. The moon high above had a wonderful glow about it that made her want to get up and start dancing in its rays. Before she gave into the urge, Aykono came up behind her.

"Nice night." he said.

"Yeah," Kira replied, still gazing at the scene before her.

"Hey, are you gonna eat that?"

She looked down at her un-eaten drumstick.

"Nah, you can have it." She handed it to him and he immediately tore into it as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

Kira stared at him. "Didn't you eat?"

"I did, but I'm still starving."

Kira laughed, and said, "You remind me of my cousin Daijiro, he's always hungry."

Aykono had already finished, and was wiping his mouth. "I didn't know you had family other than Inuyasha and Kagome,"

"Well, Daijiro isn't my real cousin, but his parents are like family so we just call each other cousins. He also has twin older sisters, Akari and Akemi. They're all older than me, but we're really close."

"You got any other family? Like grandparents, or real aunts and uncles?"

Kira smiled sadly. "No, my dad's parents both died a long time ago, and I don't know anything for sure about my grandparents on my mom's side. I have a half uncle who only comes to see his adopted daughter every once in a while, but my dad doesn't really like him being around. I don't know anything about siblings on my mom's side."

They were both quiet fro a while, until Aykono spoke. "I don't really know what it's like not to be surrounded by family members, everyone here is like family." He added, "Except Shun. He's like a weird neighbor I can't get rid of."

They both laughed, and Kira said, "I think I'll miss being here when my leg heals all the way. It's so beautiful and wild."

Aykono mellowed a bit. "You know, you're not so bad, when you're not threatening to kill anyone."

"Thanks. And you're not so bad either, when you actually use your brain."

He was about to say something in indignation, but a yell cut him off.

"GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER, YOU MANGY WOLF!"

ooOoo

Emily, the Tsarmina of Tokyo: hey guys, sorry i didn't get this chapter out sooner, it's been a rough week for me. anyways, hope you like it, rate and review, blah blah blah….. just kidding, i really, really, really want you to review! pleeeeeeease! and please take my poll too! ^_^

I don't own any of the characters from the original Inuyasha manga/anime. That is all from the brilliant mind of Rumiko Takahashi.


	5. Chapter 5

Aykono jumped visibly.

Kira was as calm as one could possibly be when one's father yells at someone to get away from you.

Inuyasha had Kagome on his back, and he leaped over to Kira and Aykono, _still_ yelling.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU NO-GOOD WOLF-DEMON?"

Before he could do anything to the surprised Aykono, Kagome slid off his back, and said firmly, "Sit, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha slammed into the ground in a purple flash. He instantly leapt up. "What was that for?"

"Sit!"

_Slam._

"ARGH!"

Kagome shook her head. "Inuyasha, please calm down, or we'll never get to the bottom of this."

"Mom?" Kira ran over to her mother.

Kagome turned to her and smiled. "Sorry, we didn't get here sooner, but your father was so frantic, that his sniffer wasn't working right."

"That sounds like something that would happen."

"What are you doing with a wolf-demon tribe? And what did you do to your leg?"

Kira recounted everything that had happened, wisely leaving out Shun's weird prank, and introduced her mom to Aykono.

"Mom, this is Aykono, Kouga and Ayame's son. Aykono, this is my mom, Kagome." Inuyasha groaned from beneath his face-plant. "Oh, and that's my dad, Inuyasha."

Kagome bowed slightly. "So, you're Ayame's son! How wonderful to meet you!"

"Hey, what's with the disturbance?"

Kouga was walking over to them, but stopped suddenly as he sniffed. "Kagome?"

"Kagome?" Ayame echoed her husband. Unlike Kouga, who was frozen solid, she ran over to Kagome and hugged her. "Oh, Kagome! It's been ages since we saw you! How are you? I've already met your daughter, and she's such a nice girl, she reminded me so much of you!"

As Kagome and Ayame chattered away good-naturedly, Kouga and Inuyasha (who had finally managed to get his face out of the ground) were having a staring contest, standing as far apart as possible.

Kira and Aykono just watched everything from the side

"Wow," Aykono finally said.

"Yeah, wow." Kira agreed.

"Our families seem to know each other really well."

"Yeah, _especially_ our fathers."

Aykono grinned sheepishly. "Thanks for telling your mom our cover story, instead of the real one."

Kira grinned cheekily back. "You need all the help you can get to get on my dad's good side. I think my mom likes you, so she'll keep him from doing anything to you."

"Doing anything to me?" He gulped.

Kira laughed, saying, "Nothing major, just ripping you to shreds, or feeding you to a giant bear yokai."

"That makes me feel _so_ much better."

Inuyasha finally spoke to Kouga. "From what Kira has said, you've been taking care of her, and you _didn't_ kidnap her."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said.

Kouga growled.

Inuyasha coughed and looked away. "You have my thanks…. Kouga."

To say that the wolf-demon chieftain was surprised would be a gross understatement. He coughed and looked away as well. "You're welcome…. Inuyasha. She's a good kid,"

There was an awkward silence, and then Kira whispered to Aykono, "I think that's the first time they haven't called each other 'Puppy', or 'Mangy wolf'."

"I think you're right."

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "Well I'll be,"

Ayame gestured to the camp. "Would you like to join our feast? There's plenty of food left,"

Before Inuyasha could protest, Kagome accepted. "We would love to!"

A few hours of talking and eating later, Inuyasha stood up and announced, "Thanks for the meal, but we'd better be going home."

This time Kagome agreed with her husband. "It is rather late."

Aykono said, "I'll go get that basket you were carrying with you," and he bounded away.

Ayame hugged Kira, saying, "It was wonderful to have you with us, even though it was only for a little while, and you were unconscious most of the time. I must admit, I do wish we had more young girls in our tribe. All the masculinity is little much for the few women here."

Kira decided not to reveal that she was a bit of a tom-boy, and not very girly.

Aykono was back already, and he handed Kira the basket, which she put on her back. "Sorry, but the rice spilled out on the path."

"That's okay."

Kira was about to join her mother and father, who were standing off to the side, ready to go, when Aykono stopped her. "Are you gonna come back and visit?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't think I'll be able to. My dad probably won't let me."

"Oh. Well, couldn't your mom convince him?"

"There are some things my mom gives into my dad on. I'm guessing this is gonna be one of them. Why do you ask, anyways?"

Aykono laughed. "I need someone else to help me keep that rascal Shun in line. He's more scared of you than he'll ever be of me."

Kira laughed too. "Well, just threaten him every once in a while that I might come back. Even though it probably won't happen, he doesn't know that, and you should make the best of it."

She looked over at her parents who were waving at her (Kagome), and tapping his foot impatiently (Inuyasha). "I've got to go."

Aykono gave a small smile. "Goodbye. And thanks for the little adventure."

"Bye. Thanks for picking me up off of that path."

She squared her shoulders, and walked (hobbled) away.

When she reached her parents, her mom said, "I think you should get on your father's back so he can carry you."

Inuyasha agreed.

Kagome couldn't resist adding, "It'll be just like when you were younger and your father gave you piggy-back rides!"

"Mom!"

The small family trooped away into the forest.

A half hour later, Inuyasha asked, "Kira, what were you talking about with that mangy wolf's son?"

Kagome looked at her daughters face. "Shh, she's asleep, dear. Just like when she was a little."

Inuyasha's eyes were softer than usual. "She's grown up so fast. What happened to my little girl?"

"She grew up just as all children do. You just didn't notice."

Inuyasha was silent, but his eyes were sad.


	6. Chapter 6

"Kira-sama! Oh, Kira-sama!"

Kira groaned at the really annoying noise that was Takida. "What do you want?"

"Oh, just your lovely hand in marriage!"

Kira brained the idiot with her fist. "Not in a million years!"

Takida got another hit on the head from Suki, who had just walked up. "Did he ask you to marry him again?"

"Yeah."

Takida rubbed the two bumps on his head. "What did I do wrong?"

"Everything!" the girls said in unison. They gathered their rice baskets and left.

Suki said, "I'm surprised your dad is letting you gather rice again."

Kira looked up at the sky. "Well, it has been three weeks since my leg was broken, and we really need the rice."

Suki shuddered. "I can't imagine being surrounded by wolf-demons. You must have been terrified!"

"Not really."

"Kira!" Both girls looked up the road, to see a tall young man waving, and running towards them.

"Daijiro!" Kira cried, speeding up her pace. When they reached each other, Daijiro grabbed her up in a warm embrace. He finally released her and said, "Kagome told me you were gathering rice, so I decided to come out and escort you back."

Suki clapped her hands. "How gentlemanly!"

Daijiro posed in what he thought was a manly stance. "That's me, the perfect gentleman!"

Kira punched him on the arm. "Yeah, right. I bet Aunt Sango threatened you with your life if you didn't come walk us back."

He grinned sheepishly. "That too."

When they got back to the village, Suki waved goodbye and hurried home.

Kira broke the silence between her and Daijiro. "I didn't want to ask this while Suki was around, but, Aunt Sango wasn't the only one who sent you, was she?"

Daijiro ran a hand through his hair. "Your dad was really worried about you coming home by yourself. He didn't want you running into a yokai when you were all alone, like last time. I think, for those few days that you were missing, the entire village was holding its breath."

"But you saw, Suki was with me until just now."

"I don't think Suki would last five seconds against a demon."

Kira was quiet for a while, before saying, "You're probably right."

Daijiro smiled. "Aren't I always?"

Kira grinned. "No," She took off running, yelling behind her, "Race you back to your house!"

He sped after her. "No fair!"

Needless to say, Kira won.

It was a warm night, and Kira decided to take an evening stroll. She slipped out the back, without her parents knowing, and made for her favorite spot. It was a small clearing, just within the tree fringe.

She sat down with her back against a big tree, and closed her eyes, feeling a warm breeze tickle her hair. A new scent drifted in on the same breeze, making Kira instantly alert. It smelled like a demon, but not quite. With it was another smell, definitely demon, but only an oxen-yokai. Those weren't too bad.

In a rush of wind, the new smells and their owners were in the clearing with Kira. She leapt up and extended her claws, ready for whatever it was. Or, so she thought.

Her would-be attacker was a little old man on an ox-demon, carrying a big stick of metal. He chuckled at her expression. "Thought I was an assassin, eh? Heh, heh, just like your old dad! He used to think everything was out to get him."

Kira bowed politely. "I was merely being cautious. A few weeks ago I was attacked by a yokai, and because I wasn't ready for it, I broke my leg. I'm trying to be a bit more careful now."

He chuckled and wheezed. "Good for you! At least you have some manners. Your dad would've told me to beat it! Your mom, though, heh, she was nicer."

"You know my parents?"

"Know 'em? Heh, I was the one who forged your old man's sword! Hope you didn't think he did that himself."

"You built the Tessaiga?"

He chuckled and wheezed some more. "Yep, I'm Totosai, master blade forger. I made Tessaiga, and its brother, Tenseiga, from the fangs of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father, Inu no Taisho. Those were some my finest works. For a while, though, I didn't think those knuckleheads could handle 'em. Heh, but they came through in the end." His ox-demon bellowed. "Oh, yeah, and this is Mo-Mo. He wanted me to tell you that." He started arguing with it. "Ya dumb animal, she doesn't wanna talk ta you! I know, I know, but it's not like _you're_ the famous blade forger! Whaddya mean you took me everywhere?"

Kira coughed politely, and Totosai turned back to her, but not before whacking Mo-Mo upside the head. Kira asked, "What brings you to this area, Totosai-sensei?"

He scratched his head. "Wha? Hmm. Oh, yeah! I've come ta make you a weapon!"

"A weapon?"

"Yeah, you ain't got one, so I'm gonna make ya one! I ain't carrying around this here hunk a' metal for no particular reason!"

Kira was puzzled. "But, don't demon swords require really strong material? That smells like regular old metal to me."

Totosai cackled and fell into a coughing spasm. "Ahem! Well, missy, we're gonna make it strong! With your blood!"

Kira took a step back and narrowed her eyes. "Wait a minute. How do I know this isn't some trick to bind me to a sword? I barely just met you. How do I know you can be trusted?"

Totosai cackled again. "You _are_ a smart girl! Very smart! Well, what if I told you that I know the way Kagome makes Inuyasha behave, eh? She yells "Sit!" at him!"

"Anyone who's been watching us could know that."

"Alrighty, how about if I told you I know all about Kikyo, eh?"

Kira's eyes widened. "You know about Kikyo?"

Totosai crossed his arms. "Of course I do! I also know your dad thought he was in love with her! That is, before he met your mom."

Kira relaxed a little. "Ok, I think I can trust you. Not very many people know about, or remember Kikyo."

Totosai clapped his hands. "Great! Now that we're all buddies, let's get down to the sword strengthening!"

He leapt off Mo-Mo and walked straight over to Kira. "Hold out your hands." She obeyed, and Totosai took out a knife. "Brace yourself, this may sting a little!"

He sliced the sharp, steel edge across her open palms. Kira winced. Blood pooled, and dripped down her arm. Totosai placed the long metal bar in her red hands. "Now, all we have to do is wait!"

"For what?"

"The metal needs to have time to react with the blood. All we can do is wait until it happens.

The minutes ticked by. Kira's kimono was stained with her own blood, and she felt dizzy.

Suddenly, the metal began glowing. It began turning crimson and pulsed with a powerful aura. Totosai cackled, and cried, "It's working!"

Kira's blood pumped hard and fast in her veins, and she closed her eyes. The metal in her hands shrieked, and in a flash of light it absorbed all the blood on her hands.

When Kira finally dared to look, the metal was completely crimson and now smelled strongly of power. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

Totosai took it from her gently and inspected it. "I don't know. I've never strengthened a blade with demon blood before."

"You what?"

Totosai clucked his tongue at her. "Don't get your kimono in a bunch. I'm a master metal strengthener, you've nothing to worry about!"

"I thought you said you were a master blade forger."

"That too." He wrapped the red metal up in a white cloth, and hopped on Mo-Mo. "I'll be back with your new blade in a few weeks! It'll be one of a kind, I tell ya!"

Kira was too woozy from losing so much blood to do anything but wave, as he and Mo-Mo flew off.

She looked at her hands. The wounds were open and bleeding slightly. She tucked her hands in her kimono and stumbled off.

She didn't know where she was going. The world looked fuzzy and strange around her, and nothing seemed familiar. She felt like she was going in unending circles.

Kira started running as fast as her weak legs could take her. The trees all looked the same. The rocks all looked the same. Panic took over her. She had to get out of there at all costs.

She burst through the trees into a large meadow. She raced across it, and ran right into something.

She stopped and looked at it.

It was a well.

It was overgrown with vines and grass, and it was old and crumbling, but it was a wooden well alright.

Kira's knees wobbled, and she decided to rest and catch her breath. She sat down on the edge of the wood, feeling extremely light-headed and lost. Had the sky been that dark before? Where were the stars?

Kira's heart beat painfully in her chest, as she fought the darkness that was trying to inhabit her mind.

She blinked one more time, before everything went black.

Her back slumped, as she fainted.

Gravity pulled Kira's body backwards, and she fell into the well.

If she had been awake, she would have wondered why it took so long to get to the bottom, but she also would have realized that she was falling farther than the bottom.

She was falling out of the world.

A lone figure was praying in the small shed. He prayed for his grandpa, who had died several years ago.

He prayed for his mom, that she wouldn't be so lonely.

He prayed for himself, that he would do well at his new job

He also prayed for his sister, and her family.

Wherever they were.


	7. Chapter 7

Sota needed to get home, but first he wanted to reassure his mother that she would be fine by herself.

He was opening the door to exit the shed, when a flash of light behind him startled him half out of his wits. It was a familiar flash, but he hadn't seen it in over seventeen years.

He raced over to the edge of the old well, and peered down into it. It was too dark to see anything, so he jumped down into the hole. And almost landed on someone.

Sota knelt down to the body. Her hair was covering her face, so he brushed it aside. His heart race quickened in his chest and he almost gasped.

"Kagome?"

He tried to shake her awake, but with no result. He looked up out of the hole and back down at Kagome. Summoning all his strength he lifted her up in his arms and climbed out of the well as best he could. It wasn't easy.

He came out into the open air, practically running. He looked down at the figure in his arms. She was wearing a kimono, but it was stained with something warm and dark. He shook his head as if to shake away a thought that had come into his mind. He blinked, and almost smacked himself. He had to get her inside.

Pressing the doorbell with his shoulder, Sota waited impatiently for his mother to answer. As soon as she opened the door, he burst in. "Mom! Kagome's back!"

Mrs. Higurashi paled. "What?"

"I was in the shed with the sacred well, and just as I was about to leave, there was this big flash, and she was in the well! I think she's unconscious, though!"

Mrs. Higurashi gestured. "Bring her into her old room."

Sota carried her down the hall and into Kagome's old room. Mrs. Higurashi had turned it into a guest bedroom, but most of it was the same as before. He set her down on the bed. His mother came in after him, and gasped. "Is that blood?"

He grimaced. His earlier suspicions had been confirmed. The girl's long sleeves were covered in blood that continued onto her kimono. Her hands had terrible, deep cuts in them, and were slowly leaking more blood.

Mrs. Higurashi composed herself quickly. "I'll go get a warm washcloth and some bandages." She bustled away, leaving Sota alone with the unconscious girl.

He stared at her face long and hard.

"What happened to you, Kagome?"

ooOoo

When Mrs. Higurashi woke up the next morning, she went about her regular routine — until, that is, she remembered her house guest.

She peeked in just in time to see her eyes pop open. The girl sat bolt upright, her head whipping around wildly at everything around her. "Mom?" she said, sounding bewildered.

"Yes, dear?" Mrs. Higurashi stepped into the room.

The girl blinked at her. "You're not my mom."

It was then that Mrs. Higurashi noticed a very important detail about the young girl sitting up in bed.

She called Sota at his apartment, and asked him to come over. "I need to show you something."

"What is it, mom?" Came the reply from the other end.

"It's about Kagome."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled. "No, no. Just come see for yourself."

Sota arrived at the house within fifteen minutes. He raced into the back bedroom, sure that something was the matter. His mother was waiting for him. She greeted him with a hug, and said, "I want you to look at our patient. Do you notice anything?"

"Other than her blood-stained kimono? Nothing. What am I looking for?"

Mrs. Higurashi moved to the side of the bed. The girl flinched and moved away. The kindly woman smiled, and said, "Don't worry, dear, it's alright. I'm just going to brush some of your hair away, so I can show this nice gentleman something." The girl nodded, a little confused, and Mrs. Higurashi gently moved her hair around so that it was not wild and tangled.

Sota stared unbelievingly. "Dog ears…? But, Kagome never… Inuyasha was the only one who…"

Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "I'm sure this lovely young lady can tell us what's going on, if you'll just stop stuttering, Sota."

He picked his jaw up from the floor, and nodded.

"Who are you people?" The girl asked.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Mrs. Higurashi, and this is my son, Sota Higurashi."

The girl seemed to relax. "Thank you. I'm afraid I'm a bit dazed. This is the second time this moon-cycle that I've woken up in a strange place."

"It is?" Sota broke in.

She nodded. "Last time I had a broken leg."

"A broken leg?"

Mrs. Higurashi gave Sota a look that told him to stop interrupting, and then asked, "What's your name, dear?"

"Kira."

"Well, Kira," Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Would you like to tell us your story?"

So Kira related everything that had happened to her since that day she went home by herself. She decided to stick with the cover story that she had made up, just in case these people ran into Aykono some day. She figured he would appreciate not having to look bad unnecessarily. When she finished, Mrs. Higurashi shook her head, smiling. "I can't believe you made it through the well. That thing hasn't been active in over sixteen years."

Kira was confused. "The well?"

Sota began pacing. "Yes, Kira. This may come as a shock, but, you must have fallen into the well, and ended up here in the future. You are now in the twenty-first century— 500 years after the feudal era."

"Oh, dear." was all she said.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled sadly. "The last time the Bone Eater's Well was used, my daughter went back in time to your era, to marry her true love. I'm afraid you bear an uncanny resemblance to her, and we thought you were Kagome at first."

All the blood drained from Kira's face. "K-Kagome?" She leapt out of the bed. "What was your daughter's true love's name?"

Sota was puzzled. "It was Inuyasha. Why?"

Kira wobbled on her feet. "I think I need to sit down again."

Mrs. Higurashi's forehead creased in concern "What is it, dear?"

Kira took a deep, shaky breath, and said, "Because, Kagome is my mother."

Mrs. Higurashi swayed. "I think I need to sit down too."

Sota rushed over to help his mother join Kira on the bed. "Are you sure, Kira?"

She nodded. "And my father is Inuyasha."

"That would explain your dog ears."

Kira blushed. "Yes," She paused, and blinked. "I just realized something."

"What?"

"You're my uncle."

The shocked look on his face made her laugh. "Y-you-you're right! I'm an uncle. Wait. I've _been_ an uncle for — how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

Sota jumped up. "I've been an uncle for sixteen years, and I didn't even know it!"

Mrs. Higurashi frowned at him. "What am I, chopped sushi? _I'm_ a grandmother!" She hugged Kira tightly, her smile returning.

Kira laughed. "I have a _grandmother_! And an _uncle_! I have family!" She stopped. "Family? Oh, no. Oh no, oh no, oh no! Mom and dad don't know where I am! I have to get home! Can I get back through the Bone Eater's well?"

Sota bit his lip, and said, "I think so… Kagome and Inuyasha were always able to come and go. I can't see why you wouldn't be able to."

Kira ran out. "Come on! We need to get the feudal era so you can see mom and dad again!"

Mrs. Higurashi and Sota hurried after her. "Wait, Kira! We can't come with you!"

She was already out the front door. "Why not?"

They caught up with her when she paused, and Mrs. Higurashi put a hand on her shoulder. "Kagome and Inuyasha were the only ones able to use the well. We could never make it through to the feudal era with you. For us, it's just an empty well."

Kira's mind raced. "Then I'll go back and tell them that I'm staying in the future for a while."

"What? But they'll never let you—."

She stuck out her chin defiantly. "They will. If they don't, I'll come back anyways."

"Hey, Mr. Higurashi! Can you help me with this paper that's due?"

Everyone turned simultaneously towards the voice.

A young boy, about Kira's age, was coming up the steps from the street. He was wearing a school uniform, and had a school bag slung casually over his shoulder with one hand. His other hand was in his pocket, but he took it out to wave to Sota.

He stopped suddenly, and stared at Kira and her blood-stained kimono.

"What the…?"


	8. Chapter 8

Kira's eyes went wide. "Oh, crap."

Mrs. Higurashi blinked. "Oh, dear."

Sota just sighed. "Oh, Yudai."

The boy was staring at Kira. "Uhhhh…..? Wha…?"

Sota moved in front of her. "Yudai-kun, what are you doing here?"

Yudai tried to see around him. "Sensei? Who's the girl in the bloody kimono?"

"Answer my question first."

The boy was practically jumping, trying to peer around Sota. "I've got an extra-credit paper due tomorrow, and I need you to help me finish it. Who's the girl?"

Sota sighed again. "Yudai-kun, it would've been better if you hadn't come."

"Yeah, whatever. _Who's the girl?_"

Kira stepped a few paces back, and took a running leap over her uncle. She cleared Sota with ease, doing a complete flip and landing right in front of Yudai.

Putting her hands on her hips, she said, "_The girl_'sname is Kira."

His jaw hung slack. "Whoa."

"'Whoa' is what you say to a horse. I'm not a horse."

He looked her up and down. "I'll say you're not."

Kira's eyes narrowed and she took a step back, almost bumping into Sota. "Uncle, are _all_ boys here as rude as this one?"

"I'm sure he's just surprised, Kira," Sota said. "Uh, why don't we go inside and sort things out?"

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "I agree. I'll make us some tea."

They all trooped into the house, and sat down in the living room, except for Mrs. Higurashi, who bustled into the kitchen to put the kettle on the stove.

Before he sat down, however, Sota whispered to Kira, "Let me do the talking. I'll explain things to you later."

She nodded and sat quietly at the table.

Yudai immediately started asking questions. "Why's Kira wearing a kimono, and why's it got blood on it? So you're her uncle? And how did she do that cool jumpy-flippy-thingy, in a _kimono_?"

Sota raised a hand to stop him. "Please, Yudai. Give me a chance to answer, before you flood me with more questions." He cleared his throat. "Kira is my niece, from Kōya, in the Ito district of Wakayama Prefecture. She lives with an old-fashioned grandmother, who makes her wear traditional clothing."

"That doesn't explain the blood."

"Ah, yes. Well…"

Kira broke in. "I had a run in with a butcher. I wasn't looking where I was going, and bumped into his cart, and the raw meat inside splashed blood on me."

Yudai looked suspicious. "You ran into a butcher?"

"This place is confusing. It's a lot bigger than Kōya."

He sat back and pondered this. "Well, I guess it could seem that way if you're from the country."

"The tea is ready." Mrs. Higurashi entered with four steaming mugs.

Kira stared at the mug in front of her, with its ceramic handle, as if it were an alien. She watched the others, and carefully picked up the mug, imitating the movements of her uncle. When she tasted the tea, it was strong and delicious. It was much better quality than what she was used to.

Mrs. Higurashi watched fondly, as her granddaughter guzzled down the hot liquid happily.

Yudai was watching Kira as well. "When did you get in town?"

She wiped her mouth on her sleeve. "Early this morning."

A smirk appeared on his face. "So why didn't you change out of your bloody kimono?"

She gave him a disdainful look. "My extra clothes were stolen."

"What?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "One minute they were there, the next minute they were gone. I only looked away for a second."

Sota looked at his niece in admiration. She was doing better with the scheme than he was. Her nimble mind was working beautifully for her in weaving a believable story.

Yudai finally looked convinced, but a little puzzled. "Wow, that's tough luck. But, if your grandmother is so old fashioned, why did she let you wear fake cat ears?"

Sota and Mrs. Higurashi panicked. Kira didn't know about fake cat ears, or fake any kind of ears.

But she only looked down ashamedly. "They're dog ears, and she doesn't know I have them."

Yudai felt sympathy for her. "Too bad. They look pretty good on you."

Kira brightened. "Really? I'm gonna wear them all the time I'm here, before I have to go back to Grandmother."

In the short time they had known her, her grandmother and uncle never ceased to be amazed by Kira.

Mrs. Higurashi recovered first. "I think I'll buy Kira some new clothes this morning." She paused and looked thoughtful. "But I don't know anything about young girl's fashions. I'm afraid I might get something that will embarrass you, Kira."

Yudai jumped in. "Hey, I'm in high school like Kira, I know about that stuff! I'll come with you, Mrs. H!"

Sota looked at him strangely. "You do?"

"Yeah, sure. I had a girlfriend for a while, and she was into that stuff. She was always dragging me to some store or another."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at him. "Well, I'll trust you then. We'd better get to the mall soon, if we're going to beat the rush."

He leapt up. "Yeah, it always starts about ten-ish on Saturdays." He looked at his watch. "Yikes! It's almost a quarter-till! We need to leave right now!"

Sota stopped him. "That reminds me, Yudai-kun. Why are you wearing your school uniform on a Saturday? You're also carrying your school bag."

Yudai grinned. "Well, you know how the nerds take extra classes on Saturdays? I figured if I wore this, the girls would think I'm smart or something." He paused, and his grin turned sheepish. "And all my other clothes are dirty."

Sota shook his head at him. "How many times do I have to remind you? Remember to do your laundry next time!"

"Thanks, Teach!"

He and Mrs. Higurashi left, leaving Kira and Sota still sitting at the living room table.

"What in heaven's name was _that _all about? I didn't know what you were talking about, half the time!"

Sota sighed. "Welcome to the twenty-first century. Things are a lot different now, than they were in the feudal era. But I have a question. How did you come up with all the things that you did? You don't know anything about this time period, and yet Yudai-kun bought everything you said!"

Kira smiled. "I figured that every time period would have butchers and their carts, and I judged that anytime you come to a new and strange place, you'd be pretty distracted and confused."

"What about the cat ears?"

"I had to guess on that one. I didn't know people put cat ears on their heads. Doesn't it hurt the cat when they take them off?"

Sota laughed. "They're not_ real_! They look just like cat ears, but they're actually just furry triangles stuck on a headband. Some girls nowadays wear them around, to look cute."

It was Kira's turn to laugh. "Lucky me! I'm stuck with mine, and they're really dog ears!" She sobered. "I still need to get home, to tell my parents where I am. When will Grandmother and Yudai-san be back?"

"It'll take them a couple hours."

She nodded. "Good. If I leave now, I can probably be back by then."

He walked her to the shed that held the Bone Eater's well. The well was dark and gloomy, and Sota was glad he wasn't the one going down.

He hugged her. "I'm glad you fell down the well, even though you had to faint, to do it."

Kira laughed softly. "You know what? I'm glad too."

"Good luck with your dad."

She hugged him back. "Thanks. I'm going to need it."

When they released each other, they were both smiling.

Kira straightened her shoulders, and put one leg over the wooden frame of the well.

Before she put the other leg over, and jumped, however, she looked back at her uncle with a puzzled expression. "By the way, what's high school?"

Sota chuckled drily. "A nightmare."

"Oh."

With that, Kira let go of the well, and fell.

She squeezed her eyes shut, instinctively bracing herself for the impending impact.

It never came.

She opened her eyes to a purple and black world of swirls and sparkles. She seemed to be floating and falling at the same time, and up ahead, a bright light was approaching fast.

_Oh, that had better not be heaven,_ Kira thought in panic.

Whatever it was, an unseen force was drawing her into it.

In a brilliant white flash, she was transported.


	9. Chapter 9

Kira opened her eyes. She hadn't even realized she had closed them. A wooden wall was looming in front of her.

She looked up and saw the blue sky high above her. She climbed out of the well slowly, making sure that she was where she was supposed to be.

Meadow: check.

Forest: check.

Worried looking wolf-demon: unexpected, but, check.

Kira did a double-take. "Aykono?"

"Kira?"

"SHUN!" Shun popped up behind her, making her jump visibly and put a hand over her heart. He shrugged. "What? You forgot me."

She glared at him. "Don't scare me like that! Has anyone ever told you that you're the most annoying person in the world?"

He thought a moment. "Yeah, at least several dozen times."

"Here's a reminder." She brought her fist down on his head, and, without blinking an eye, turned to Aykono. "Did you have to bring him along?"

He snorted. "Like anyone could stop him. Except you. All we gotta do now is mention your name and he starts trembling."

She laughed. "As he should. So why are you here anyways?"

"Your mom and dad are looking for you. They came by our camp, early this morning, asking where you were. We didn't know, so now they got everybody searching for you."

"Everybody?"

"Yeah. So where were you?"

Kira looked distracted. "I fell down the well."

"Well, are you hurt or something? Is that why you didn't go back?"

"No, no! I'm fine. I just, uh, didn't know how to get back."

Aykono was puzzled. "Wait a second. You were lost? With _your_ sniffer?"

Kira sighed. "It's complicated. Look, can you just get me to my parents? I need to talk to them."

"Yeah, sure. They're searching the woods just a little east of here. I can get you there in no time."

They took off together, leaping through the trees and brush, almost leaving Shun behind. "Hey, wait up guys! What's going on? Doesn't anyone care that I've got a serious concussion here?"

Kira shouted back, "It's not like you have a whole lot of brain to damage!"

"HEY! I resent that!"

"I resent _you_!"

Aykono shook his head, and dodged a tree. "Will you guys stop insulting each other, and move faster?"

Kira laughed. "Ok, _boss_! You got it!"

She sped up, easily passing Aykono. "Hey, I think I've got their scent!"

"Shouldn't be hard; they've been all over this forest!"

Kira cleared a large fallen tree trunk, and, a few yards later, entered a large clearing.

Inuyasha and Kagome were on the far side. He was sniffing the ground, and she was standing over him, giving suggestions. "Maybe her scent has been masked, somehow."

Kira waved while walking over to them. "No it hasn't! I'm right here, mom!"

Both her parents whirled around. Kagome gave a cry, and ran to embrace her, with Inuyasha not far behind. "Kira! Where have you been? We were so worried!"

"Are you hurt?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"Then where have you been?"

Kira bit her lip. "Um, about that. Hey, mom, when were you going to tell me I had a grandmother and an uncle?"

Kagome and Inuyasha stared at her. "What?"

"I fell down the Bone Eater's well and traveled to the twenty-first century."

"Oh, my." Kagome said.

Kira related the whole story, including her encounter with Totosai and Mo-Mo, and her encounter with Yudai. Inuyasha shook his head all the while, as if he couldn't believe it, and Kagome's eyes stayed wide the entire time.

When she finished, Kira cleared her throat and asked tentatively, "Uh, mom? I'd really like to go back and stay with Grandmother in the future. I mean, I just met them, and I haven't really gotten to know them."

Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other, and then back at her. Kagome said, "Your father and I need to talk it over." They retreated behind a tree for discussion.

Aykono walked over to Kira. "What was that all about?"

She sighed. "How much did you hear?"

"All of it, but I don't think I understand. You went to the future?"

She sighed again. "Yes. That's where my mom is originally from, I guess. It's really different there. It looks so odd, and strange, and it's really hard to understand."

He ran a hand through his hair. "And you're going back?"

Kira stared at him. "Of course! I mean, my only _real_ family besides Sesshōmaru-sama is there, and I barely know them! I want to spend time with them!" She added in a quick mumble, "And it's only gonna be for a year."

Aykono's sharp ears heard her, though. "A year? An entire year in the future?"

"Well, yeah. One year should be enough time to catch up on _sixteen_ years without them."

"I guess," He began pacing.

Kira laughed. "Why do guys do that when they're stressed?"

He stopped. "Do what?"

"Run your hand through your hair."

He pulled his hand away from his head and stared at it like it had mushrooms sprouting from it. "I don't know, I've never noticed it before. Nervous habit?"

"All the guys I know do that. Even in the future, my grown uncle did it."

"It must be a guy thing." They looked at each other and laughed.

Shun popped up behind them. "Hey, what's the joke?"

Kira's fist connected with the top of his head. "Your face! Didn't I tell you not to sneak up on me like that?"

He rubbed his head ruefully. "You did, but it's the only thing I can hold over you." He started skipping around, still rubbing his head. "I scared Kira, I scared Kira!"

Kira cracked her knuckles. "You're about to know the true meaning of 'scared', buster."

Kagome called over to them, "Kira, we'd like to talk to you!"

Kira jogged over to her parents.

Shun breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew! Saved! Boy, she was gonna really let me have it, wasn't she?"

Kira reached Inuyasha and Kagome. Her parents looked at each other. "We've decided that it might be good for you to spend some time with my family."

Inuyasha growled. "But you have to promise to be careful!"

Kira hugged them both. "I will! A year will go by really fast, don't worry!"

Her father spluttered. "A year?"

Kira thought to herself, _He sounds just like Aykono…_

Kagome gave Inuyasha a look. "I think a year will be plenty of time, _dear_."

Inuyasha made unhappy growling noises and crossed his arms.

Kagome smiled. "Is there anything you need to take with you?"

Kira thought a moment, before saying, "Well, there is, but it shouldn't take too long. I'll just dash back to the house to get it, and meet you guys by the well."

Her mother stopped her. "Wait, Kira. There's something I need to ask you. You mentioned mom and Sota, but you didn't say anything about Grandpa. Is he still alive?"

"Grandpa? You mean Grandma Higurashi's husband?"

"No, dear. Her father."

Kira bit her lip. "I don't think he was there."

Kagome sighed sadly. "I guess it was too much to hope that he was still alive after all these years. When I still lived in the future, my grandfather, your great-grandfather, lived with us. He was a bit silly and superstitious, but we all loved him very much. Next to our home, there used to be a shrine that he was in charge of. He was always ordering new 'good-luck charms' that we could sell, but they usually ended up collecting dust in the back of his room."

Kira laughed through a few tears. "I wish I could have met him, he sounds like a fun guy."

Kagome laughed as well. "He was! We also had a cat that he was always fighting with, because it liked to use Grandpa's good-luck charms as toys. It drove Grandpa crazy when Sota and I dangled the little bobbles over the cat, while it batted them around. He always said we were going to wake up bad spirits doing that."

They were both silent for a moment.

"Well," Kira said. "I better go get my stuff."

Kagome and Inuyasha nodded. "Ok, dear."

A quarter of an hour later, all met Kira next to the Bone Eater's well. She had a small pack on her back, but other than that, she appeared exactly as before.

She shook hands with Aykono, and punched Shun on the arm, telling him not to get into any trouble.

She hugged her mother and father. "I'm going to miss you guys so much!"

Kagome smiled. "You're going to be too busy learning about the future to miss us."

Inuyasha didn't like any of this too much, but he also smiled, despite himself. "The future is very different from our time, Kira. Pay attention to Sota and Mrs. Higurashi, and be careful." He added, "And don't forget to have just a little fun."

"I love you, mom and dad!" Kira whispered fiercely.

"We love you too."

Kira finally broke away, and rubbed a sleeve over her eyes.

She waved one last goodbye, just before leaping over the edge and into the well.

Aykono and Shun left, but Inuyasha and Kagome stayed a while, watching the well.

Inuyasha finally spoke. "She looked so much like you, back then when you would leave and go home. It was almost scary."

Kagome smiled at him and hugged him. "She'll be fine, you old worry-wart. Come on, before we burn a hole in this thing with all our staring."

The couple walked away, arms around each other, remembering adventures that had happened long ago, when a young girl from the future, and a young hanyō from the past, fell in love.


	10. Chapter 10

Sota wrung his hands anxiously, as he paced in front of the shed. When he finally heard the commotion he had been waiting for, he wrenched open the shed doors and dashed to the side of the well. "We need to hurry! Yudai-kun and Mom are already back!"

Kira blinked as he helped her out of the well. "Already? I couldn't have been gone more than an hour!"

"I know, I know! That's what's so bad! They're already in the living room waiting; I told them you were taking a bath."

She blinked again. "A bath? But it's not a special occasion."

Sota sighed and pulled her along to the back of the house. "Here in the future, Kira, we take baths almost everyday. Water isn't as scarce nowadays."

"Everyday?"

They stopped at a window. Sota cupped his hands. "Here, step into this and climb through that opening. It leads to the bathroom."

"Is the bathroom where you take baths?"

"Yes, it's also where you… er, take care of your business. You know, like—."

"Say no more. I get the picture."

Instead of using her uncle's hands to help herself up, she simply took a small leap up onto the sill and scrambled inside. Sota remembered something. "Hey, Kira! Close the window behind you."

"How do I do that?"

"Uhhhh…. There's two parts to the glass; one on top of the other."

"Ooook."

"Pull down the one that's on the top and slightly lower."

SHUNK.

The window-pane slid into place, and Kira waved at her uncle through the glass.

"Now go take a bath."

Kira gave him a salute to show that she heard him, and disappeared from view.

She climbed down from her perch and looked at the room around her. It was slightly steamy from the hot water in a large built-in tub. There was a wash basin set in a large box that seemed to be attached to the wall. Various and asunder things confused her about the room, but, even in the future, at least she knew how to take a bath.

The water was warm, like a hot-spring she had once bathed in. Kira wanted to sink down in the water and never come up, but she knew she needed to get clean. She looked around for something to use to scrub herself, but all she found was a little towel. There was a bar of soap to the side, but it was small and soft, not like the lye soap she was used to. She would just have to make do with these things of the twenty-first century.

ooOoo

"She sure is taking a long time." Yudai said, as he tapped his fingers on his leg in a fast rhythm.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "I'm sure she's just tired from her journey."

"Can't she hurry up? I wanna see what she thinks of the clothes we got her."

Sota ran a hand through his hair.

Yudai ran hand through _his_ hair.

And Mrs. Higurashi just smiled.

"Um, hey, guys? What am I supposed to wear now that I'm done bathing? Little help here?" Everyone jumped at the sound of Kira's voice coming from the bathroom. Mrs. Higurashi called back, "I'll be right there to bring you your new clothes."

She selected a few items of clothing and took them to the bathroom, disappearing inside.

In addition to tapping his fingers, Yudai began shaking his leg anxiously. Sota smiled nervously and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll like the clothes," even as he began shaking his own leg.

"Ok, we're coming out!" Mrs. Higurashi called, and opened the door. She emerged first, beckoning Kira out, who obliged, blushing furiously and mumbling something about strange, futuristic clothing.

She was wearing khaki cargo pants with lots of pockets and a light blue baby-doll top; her hair was braided, plainly revealing furry ears on top of her head.

Both of the males in the living room complimented her, and Sota even had to stop Yudai from teasingly wolf-whistling at her. Mrs. Higurashi commented on how "cute" she looked, making Kira turn beet red and run a hand through her hair.

She sat down on the couch and vaguely listened to the others discussing the rest of the clothes they had gotten her. She started when she heard the word "uniform".

"Wait, what uniform?"

They looked at her and Yudai said, puzzled, "Your uniform for school. Aren't you going to have to go to school if you're staying a while?"

"Oh," she said. "Yes, of course."

He grinned. "Hah, bet you thought you could skip school, just 'cause you're visiting! Hey, you're probably gonna be at my school! I wonder if we'll be in the same class. How old are you?"

She looked at her family, confused. "Uh, I'm sixteen, but I'll be seventeen in a few months."

Yudai pumped his fist. "Yes! You're in my class! Cool! I'll show you around campus and everything!" He glanced at his watch and jumped up. "Yikes! I gotta get home! See you later everyone! Thanks for everything Mrs. Higurashi! Sorry, Teach, I guess I'll have to finish my paper by myself!" He dashed to the door and paused before racing out, to wink at Kira and say, "Those clothes look better on you than in the store!"

Silence reigned in the living room after he left.

"What's a class?"

Her uncle laughed. "It's a division within school, decided by age and capability. We're going to have a hard time getting you ready for _high school_, let alone _any_ school work. You'll need to learn all sorts of math, just to get ready for algebra and trig, and I hate to even think about science and chemistry. Ha-ha! And history! Most of our history is way after your time!"

"Trigonometry is easy, and I know a little about chemistry, but I do agree that history is definitely going to be a problem. I'll need to learn about five hundred years of it! I shudder at the thought."

Her grandmother and uncle stared at her. "You know Trigonometry and chemistry? But how…?"

She smiled. "Mom has been teaching me all that stuff as long as I can remember. I loved everything she taught me, and I was always hungry for more, but it was a bit strange, because she was the only one who knew such things, and I was the only child in my village learning it. Most of the children can't even read and write."

"And you can?"

Kira nodded. "Very well."

Sota blew out breath, as if he couldn't believe it. "That's amazing… Not only do you know basic math, you've mastered trig well enough that you're able to say it's easy… Well, you've made my job easier. All we need to teach you is history, geography and social studies."

Kira smiled. "Sounds good! I can't wait!"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled a bit worriedly. "We may need to give you a crash-course in the twenty-first century as well."

Sota nodded. "We can't let you go into high school without knowing a thing about what you're getting yourself into."

Kira grinned. "What are we waiting for? Let's get down to it!"

ooOoo

For the next month and a half Kira worked on her 'home-school-work' harder than a swordsman when he is training, learning about new capitals, different continents, airplanes, trains, chemical reactions, and hot-dogs.

In a clever turn of events Kira told Yudai that living in a small town with an old-fashioned grandmother, she didn't know a whole lot about modern appliances and major stores and street traffic. Often, they would walk around the city and he would show her all sorts of things like park benches, trash cans and little dogs on leashes. Several times, when they got something to eat at a new sort of inn that only served food, called a "restaurant", someone called her a "girlfriend". Kira could never figure out if it was meant as an insult, and Yudai wouldn't tell her what it meant besides a friend who is a girl. He would just blush and mumble something about leaving.

School got out on a short summer break, a week after Kira arrived in the twenty-first century. As a result, she didn't miss as much school as everyone had thought she would. Still, there was an air of urgency about the Higurashi house as Kira crammed in every last bit of work she could, that last day before school started again. Sota told her she was already caught up, in fact she was slightly ahead, but she felt as if the whole world knew more than she did.

At exactly twelve a.m. that night, Mrs. Higurashi came into Kagome's old room (now Kira's) to check on her granddaughter. She found her asleep, slumped over a table covered with textbooks and papers, a pencil smudge on one side of her face, the other cheek pushed into a particularly weighty volume of biology. Mrs. Higurashi smiled, remembering a time when her own daughter had worked late on her homework, trying to catch up on school she had missed because of her adventures in the feudal era. The only difference was that a certain dog-demon had usually been watching Kagome, while Kira was alone in the room.

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head to clear away the past, and, taking a blanket from the bed, she put it around her granddaughter's shoulders and brushed back some hair that had fallen in her face.

In her sleep, Kira's nose twitched and her brow wrinkled in agitation at a smell that was strange and unwanted. She vaguely smelled the room and her grandmother, but the scent she had picked up was different and foreboding. Even while asleep, her fangs grew slightly and her claws extended, in anticipation for danger. But the smell passed and she finally relaxed back into a deep sleep.

Mrs. Higurashi was more than a little worried by the incident, but she told herself it was most likely normal.

ooOoo

"Grandmother! Why didn't you wake me up sooner or set that alarm clock thingy? I'm going to be so late!"

Kira dashed about the room getting dressed in her uniform and gathering her school books and supplies. She stopped only to glance in the mirror once. "Wow, I've got spiral notebook marks on my face!" She waved it away, knowing that was the least of her problems.

She ran through the kitchen with her backpack, and skidded to a halt, grabbing a bagel from the plate. She yanked her shoes on, almost falling over. Her grandmother stopped her from leaving immediately. "Wait, Kira! Don't forget your hat!"

Apparently it was against the school dress code to 'wear' 'fake' animal ears, but it wasn't to wear hats. So Kira had bought a nice black knitted hat to hide her furry ears. She rather liked the hat, but was always forgetting to wear it.

She grabbed the hat and jammed it on her head and hugged her grandmother. "Thanks! See you after school!"

"You've got your forms and id right?"

"Yeah, I've got them right here! Ok, I really need to go, bye, Grandmother!"

"Be careful!" her grandmother called as she watched her dash across the drive, down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

Kira ran as fast as she could without attracting too much attention from the people she dodged around. To the people around her, she looked like a normal high school student who was late for school. They weren't too far off the mark, except for the normal part. Every fiber of her being said to speed up and go as fast as she knew she could, and she wanted to just that, but she used all her willpower to keep at an only slightly super-human speed.

It just wouldn't do if she made a scene on her first day of school.

hi everybody! does anyone read my profile? please! it needs visitors! and, please, take my poll! why won't anyone take my poll?


	11. Chapter 11

"We have a new student, who transferred over the summer break. She comes from a very small town, so I'd like everyone to make her feel comfortable." The teacher turned to Kira. "Please introduce yourself, and include your full name and age."

"My name is Kira Hanyō, and I am sixteen." She bowed, and looked around at the many faces staring at her, the only familiar face being Yudai-kun. He winked and held up two fingers spread apart. Kira bit her lip and tried to remember what that meant, before sitting in the empty seat the teacher gestured to.

"Now," the teacher started. "Just as a review, who can tell me who the 122nd emperor was, and what his personal name was?"

Kira's hand rose tentatively, the only one in the air.

Sensei looked surprised. "Hanyō-san, you didn't study with us before the summer break, and yet you know the answer?"

She nodded. "_Hai_, sensei."

He smiled. "Well, then, please share with the class."

Kira stood next to her desk, just as Yudai-kun and Uncle Sota had taught her, and gave the answer. She sat back down at the nod of the teacher.

Ah! Now she remembered what the sign Yudai-kun had made meant! She turned slightly in her seat when the teacher was writing something on the large, black chalkboard, and gave her friend the same sign, grinning.

ooOoo

She wasn't grinning when the lunch break rolled around. Kira groaned. "Why do we have to stay in the same room the whole time? It's so crowded in there, the smells are stifling me!"

Yudai-kun smiled, slightly confused. "The smells? I didn't smell anything bad."

Kira's eyes widened. "Oh, uh, maybe it was just where I was sitting." In her mind, she wiped a drop of sweat from her brow, like she had seen characters do on TV when they were relieved. She had almost forgotten that Yudai-kun didn't know about her highly adept nose. Everyone in the room had had a different scent for her to memorize, and it was pretty distracting when she was trying to listen to the teacher talk. She was glad that it was over for a while, since the students had dispersed a bit to eat with their other school-friends.

Kira opened her backpack and pulled out her bento, just as the other students were doing. She smelled the aroma of her grandmother's wonderful cooking before she even lifted the lid off. "Oh, onigiri, sausages, and chicken! Grandmother always makes really good food!"

Yudai looked longingly at her bento. "I got plain rice with pickled plums and fried octopus."

He looked so mournful that Kira felt sorry for him and traded half of her chicken for half of his fried octopus. She was pleasantly surprised. "This is pretty good! I really like the flavor. Your mom's a good cook, like my grandmother."

"My mom didn't make this, I did."

Kira stared at him. "You did?" She thought a moment. "But, why are complaining about it, if you made it?"

Yudai sighed. "It looked better in my head than in my bento."

She shook her head at him. "You are so strange."

"I know."

They ate their lunch in silence, though the students around them were anything but.

"Hey," Yudai said suddenly. "You wanna walk home together?"

"Sure. It's a long walk from here, though."

He grinned and held up his fists. "That's ok, I don't mind. And I can protect you if any thugs jump us! I don't want to brag or anything, but, I've got some moves!" He feigned a few punches into the air.

Kira held herself back from laughing, judging from his "moves" that she would probably be the best if it came to defending themselves.

"Ok, students!" The teacher clapped his hands, as other teenagers filtered in, and the bell rang. "Let's get back to work!"

ooOoo

"Geez, how come you're so smart, Kira? I mean, you raised your hand on every single question, even if the teacher called on another person! Do you really know that much?"

Kira laughed and poked him in the ribs. "It's because I study, unlike _someone_, apparently…" She remembered saying something similar to a certain wolf-demon. A pang went through her chest as she thought of Aykono.

"Hey, I do study; I just don't raise my hand at every question!" Kira didn't say anything, as she was lost in thought. Yudai waved a hand in front of her face. "Hey, Kira. You ok?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired, I guess."

He groaned. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I think I got spoiled over the summer break, 'cause sitting in that classroom all day wore me out!"

"Sitting around and, in _your_ case, doing nothing, _wore you out_?"

"Uh, well, you see—."

Kira cut him off by raising a hand and saying, "Shh, I need to listen!"

Yudai waited a minute before asking, "Listen to what?"

Kira ran ahead a little ways and stopped. "I've got a bad feeling that something is about to happen."

"A feeling?"

"Call it instinct, if you want. C'mon, we need to head this way!" She turned down a corner, deviating from the sidewalk that would take them home.

Yudai ran after her, barely keeping up with her fast running pace. "Wait, Kira! Why do we need to go this way, and what does the something that's about to happen have to do with us?"

She stopped and cocked her head, before turning another corner. "The feeling is getting stronger." She glanced back at him with a determined look on her face. "I don't think I can explain it right now, but you're going to have to trust me for a few minutes. I don't know what it is, but this is not a good feeling."

Shortly, they came to an old house buried deep among other old buildings and houses. It was elaborate, and deserved to be called a mansion, with high walls that looked forbidding and impenetrable. There were no windows, or openings, just double doors that proved to be ornate and locked.

"Kira, what are we doing here?"

She didn't answer him, and instead took a step or two back, judging the distance. She nodded, as if in satisfaction, and leapt up onto the towering wall.

"Kira! What are you doing?"

She turned to him. "Hey, stop wasting your breath and jump up here."

Yudai ran a hand through his hair. "Are you crazy? I can't make that kind of jump!"

Kira thought a moment. "Oh, yeah. That's right, you can't. Well, just jump as high as you can, and I'll help you up from there."

"You _are_ crazy!" To himself he muttered, "And I must be too." He took a running leap, but only got about a foot from the top. Kira grabbed his arms and, in one swift movement, swung him up onto the wall.

He stared at her. "You are not normal."

"Thank you. I think. Ok, now we jump down on this other side."

Yudai looked fearfully down at the drop, which was at least ten feet. "Uh, no, I think I'll just stay here and cling to the surface of the wall. You can go, though."

"Come on," She grabbed the front of his school uniform and jumped, taking him with her.

Yudai shut his eyes as the landed with a thud. He cracked one eye open when they were on the ground. "Well, that wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

"Yeah, I'll bet it wasn't, what with the human cushion and all." He looked down to see Kira underneath him. She was glaring at him. "Get. Off."

He scrambled to move off her. "Oh, sorry! Are you ok?"

Kira checked herself. "No broken bones, though I may suffer internal organ damage because of you."

"Sorry about that."

She shushed him and listened for the sound she had heard earlier. It was stronger inside the walls, and its spine-chilling sensation had Kira worried. "Ok, this way."

He followed her, spluttering. "Wait, where are we going _now_?"

"I don't know, I'm just following my instincts."

They ran through dozens of courtyards and openings between the complex maze of traditional buildings that looked almost familiar to Kira, since there had been quite a few like them back in the feudal era. They finally reached a courtyard larger than any of the others they had seen. It held a ring of tall, elaborate structures, probably shrines. There were at least twenty of the little houses, making a very large circle.

Yudai caught up with Kira, who had accidently left him behind for a few minutes. "Whoa, what's up with that?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I know what it is. Here, climb up on the roof of this thing."

"I can't climb on that; it's a shrine!"

Kira sighed in frustration. "It's a _fake_ shrine! It's just an empty building! There's no name for the deity on it!"

"Oh, now I got it."

"Ok, now, follow me."

She climbed up the side of the small building, using the ornamental embellishments as hand and footholds. She called down to advice to Yudai as he followed her up. When they reached the roof, Kira pushed his head to the shingles, so that they were lying flat. "Stay down, but slowly peek over the other side."

They both looked, and the sight that greeted them was grim.

A large devil's star had been drawn on the ground inside the circle of buildings, and twenty figures in dark cloaks and hoods were walking along its outside edge. They were holding candles and chanting what sounded like nonsense. In the center of the star, there was one person with their hood down, sprinkling ashes and flower petals in an intricate charm. He had long, unnaturally blonde hair pulled back in a loose pony-tail, and a face that was like a child's. He muttered something unintelligible, but definitely different from the others' chants.

Yudai looked at Kira. "What are they doing?"

Her face was hard and ashen. "They are committing a crime against nature and humanity. They're attempting to raise a dead demon."

"A demon?" She shushed him. "A demon? But I thought those things didn't really exist."

"Unfortunately, they were very real at one time. They don't appear often nowadays, but these devil worshippers are trying to bring one back from the dead."

"Like a zombie?"

She shook her head. "If they succeed, the demon will appear in full form, with all its limbs _and_ demonic powers like you could never imagine."

Yudai looked back at the ceremony with disgust. "So what can we do?"

"We need a plan, and fast. We don't kno—."

She was cut off by the strong streams of wind pouring into the circle of buildings, almost knocking them off the roof. The wind gathered in a deathly vortex in the middle of the devil's star, as the lone figure moved away from the steadily growing whirlwind. The ashes and petals were caught up in the cyclone, making it's color a swirling gray and red. Something dark and blurry appeared at the center of the vortex, and the whirling winds began to dissipate. The devil's star glowed red for a moment, but disappeared suddenly.

The sorceress raised her head, blood-red eyes flashing. The leader approached her suspended form, saying, "We called to thee, and thou hast come. Obey thy master and wreak havoc upon this accursed land, filling it with thy minions of darkness and evil spirits of thy will!"

The demon slowly turned to him, and in a disdainful voice said, "For many years I was a slave. Now that I have come back from the underworld, I swear upon my life that I will have no master!" She made a slashing motion into the air, sending the devil worshippers' leader flying, but an invisible bond tore at her, confining her to the center of the star.

"Ok, NOW!" Kira yelled, jumping straight off the roof and into the middle of the devil worshippers.

"What?" Yudai stood up in shock and lost his balance, toppling off his perch.

Kira was slashing left and right with her claws, punching here and there with her fists, laying low almost all of the cult members. The only one left standing was their leader, who was chanting a demonic charm to bind the sorceress as a servant. Kira raced at him and slashed at his face, sending a spurt of blood flying. The woman was released from her bond and she fell, but as soon as her feet hit the ground, she took off running for the cover of one of the shrine replicas.

The man drew a long, jagged knife, but Kira saw it and lost no time in sending it flying with a well aimed kick. The leader doubled over in pain, his wrist broken or sprained from the powerful jarring. Kira did not stop to ask, instead dragging a stunned Yudai behind the same building the woman was hiding behind. The yokai's eyes narrowed in distrust. Kira tried to smile encouragingly. "It's ok, we're friends, but we need to get out of her right now!" One of the small buildings next to them toppled over, and another crumbled into dust.

All three of them raced away from the quickly decaying structures, heading for the outer wall. When they reached it, Kira and the woman had no problem jumping the height, but they had to help Yudai scramble up and over. On the other side, they kept running until they were far away from the mansion.

"You… helped me…" the woman asked between gasps of breath. "Why…? I'm… a sorceress…"

"Would you rather go back to the nice gentleman who was about to enslave you?"

"NO! Sorry, it's been a while since I've interacted with humans— well, at least one hu—."

"Uh, yeah, we need to talk about that," Kira took her aside while Yudai was still fighting to get air in his lungs. "See that guy having problems breathing? He doesn't know I'm a yokai, let alone a Hanyō. I'd kinda like to keep it that way, if you don't mind."

The woman nodded. "I see. Just out of curiosity, what time century am I in? I remember dying in what the humans called 'the feudal era', but this dump looks nothing like that."

Kira blinked. "You're from the feudal era? Believe it or not, so am I! I fell into this old well and ended up here, in the twenty-first century. I'm Kira, what's your name?"

The woman pulled out a fan and fluttered it ever so slightly, causing a brilliant gust of wind. "I am Kagura, Wind Sorceress."


	12. Chapter 12

Kira stared blankly at Kagura. "Ok, cool."

"'Cool'?"

"Oh, sorry, it's a phrase I picked up here in the twenty-first century. It's what you say when something is amazing, satisfactory, or you don't know what else to say."

"I see."

Yudai finally recovered his breath. "What _was_ that? All that devil stuff and hocus pocus! What's going on?"

Kagura fixed him with her red gaze. "I've come back to life after five hundred years in the underworld, that's what's going on."

"Oh."

"Uh, hey, Yudai-kun?" Kira asked. "Do you mind walking back to your house by yourself? I kind of need to get Kagura here back to my grandmother's place."

"Oh, yeah, sure. No problem. See you tomorrow at school, Kira-chan!" Yudai yelled as he ran off, glad to get away from the creepy lady in the old-fashioned get-up.

Kagura was staring after him. "He likes you."

"What? Yudai?"

She turned to Kira. "He has a definite attraction to you, I'll say that. Otherwise, why would he agree to follow you into that mansion?"

"Because I shanghaied him?"

"Ah, that would be another reason."

Kira started walking away, motioning to Kagura to follow her. "Yeah, anyways, you seem better suited to the feudal era, so I think it's best we got you back there as soon as possible."

Kagura nodded as she walked beside her. "I agree. This air is tainted with some sort of less powerful miasma."

"What's miasma?"

Kagura stared off into the distance. "The demonic poison that killed me. I'd rather not speak of it, if you don't mind."

"I understand. Sometimes the past is better left alone."

The wind sorceress smiled wryly. "An odd statement coming from someone from that very place."

Kira smiled in the same way. "Well, life's full of those ironic moments, isn't it?"

ooOoo

"Kira, who's your friend?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, smiling, as Sota just stared at the wind sorceress.

"This is Kagura, and she's just passing through. She needs to use the Bone Eater's well."

"Oh, how nice, she's from the feudal era too."

Sota scratched his head. "I don't remember anyone else coming out of the well. Huh, maybe she came out while I was at work."

Kira kept herself from gulping. "Yeah, probably. I found her wandering around outside the steps, so she didn't stray far. Well, we'll just get out of your way now, come on, Kagura."

Kagura followed her to the shed and looked at the well strangely. "This old _thing_ is going to take me back?"

Kira shrugged. "Yeah. If it doesn't, the worst that can happen is you'll get a sore rear end."

"Good to know. Well, I hope you do well here in the future. Are you ever going to go back to the feudal era?"

Kira nodded vigorously. "Of course. My parents are there, and a lot of people I miss too. My stay in the twenty-first century is just a learning experience, and once it's over, I'll only visit here to see my family."

Kagura smiled. "Well, I hope you do well here. Meanwhile, I've got to get going; there are a few people who will get quite a scare on finding that I'm back from the dead. Thank you, Kira. Maybe I'll see you again someday."

"Maybe. Goodbye, Kagura."

The wind sorceress turned to the well, leapt in, and in a flash of purple light, she was gone.

When Kira returned to the house, Sota was still scratching his head. "It's strange; back when Sis and Inuyasha used the Bone Eater's well, nobody else could use it. I know because I tried hundreds of times to follow them. But it never worked for anyone else, here or in the feudal era, apparently. Why did it work for that Kagura woman?"

Kira attacked a bowl of ramen. "I dunno. Maybe after the well reawakened it wasn't so limiting on who could use it."

"Perhaps," Sota said, stroking his chin.

"Hey, Uncle Sota, can you stop doing that? You look like one of those evil villains on TV and it's freaking me out."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

Mrs. Higurashi brought Kira another bowl of ramen. "So, Kira, how was your first day in high school?"

ooOoo

A week had gone by since the first day of school and the incident at the creepy mansion, and Kira was doing well with her studies. She got top marks and did extra credit. When the other students were out shopping or going to the movies, Kira was studying and writing essays. she felt a satisfaction in her work every time she brought an A home to show her family. She practiced her fighting forms everyday in the courtyard in front of the sacred tree, and sometimes even nights.

But her only friend at school was Yudai, since her exceptionally hard studying habits made her a prime target for the other students.

Kira was hurrying down the stairs from the bathroom, headed back to class before the lunch break ended, when something white and fluffy fell at her from above. On instinct, she dodged and it missed her, but it poofed and a bit of it caught the hem of her skirt. She knelt and put her fingers in the white powder, then licked what she came up with.

Flour.

Kira looked upward and saw three heads disappear from over the edge of the landing. She bounded up the stairs, three at a time, and ran after the retreating figures. She caught up with them easily and passed them, then rounded on them, blocking their path. "Hey, what's the big idea, throwing flour on someone?"

One of the girls jutted out her hip and crossed her arms, smirking. "What makes you think we did it?"

Kira rolled her eyes and pointed at each girl in turn. "You have flour on your hands; you, in your hair; and you, there's flour all over your shoulder. Probably from carrying the heavy bag, right?"

The girls quickly tried to brush themselves off. Kira smirked. "Don't worry, you missed me, so I'm not going to tell any of the teachers, though I doubt anyone else would be so nice. All I want to know is why three upperclassmen attempted to cover me in flour."

One of the girls babbled, "Th-There's a guy in our class that w-we all like, and he's s-seen you around, and he thinks y-you're cute and smart, and he wants t-to ask you out. S-so we wanted to g-get you back for stealing him away!"

Kira shrugged. "Never met him. I don't socialize with the snobby senpais too often, so how could I _steal_ him? You three are ridiculous, talking about a guy like he's an object. And I'm sure he wouldn't like silly girls who are petty enough to throw flour on a complete stranger. You're getting off easy, but if you ever try anything like that on anyone ever again, you'll be hearing from my fists. "

She walked past them, back the way she'd came, but when she was almost to the stairs, without turning around, she called back. "Oh, by the way, Miss Attitude? You've still got flour on your shoulder."

ooOoo

Kira slurped her noodles down quickly, as they were very hot. Her grandmother had told her to let it cool a bit before eating, but she was too hungry. "Hey, what does it mean to ask someone out?"

Mrs. Higurashi and Sota stared at her. "Where did you hear anything about that?"

"At school. Why, is it something bad?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "No, it's just, when one person likes another person romantically, they ask that person if they will go out with them."

"Go out where?"

Sota burst out laughing. "Oh, no, not like that. You remember when we told you about dating, right? Well, it's exactly like that, except young people nowadays call it 'going out'. I can't think why, though."

Kira smiled. "It does sound kind of funny."

She finished her noodles, thanked her grandmother for the meal, and headed out to work on her fighting forms.

There was a large moon that night, giving plenty of light to work by. Kira started with Gojūshiho, but it quickly turned into Gojūshiho-with-claws. She worked on and on until she had a good sweat and heart rate going, which took several hours. Her uncle had already left and her grandmother had tried to call her in several times, but she kept on, progressing into several other kata. She had a lot to think over, and fighting had always made it easier to concentrate.

She was concentrating so hard, in fact, that she almost didn't notice the new scent that approached.

Almost, but not quite.

Kira whirled around, still in fighting stance, surprising herself and the newcomer.

"Aykono?"

"Kira?"

"Didn't we do this not too long ago?"

"How does 'several months' translate to 'not too long ago'?"

"Good point." She wiped her brow. "What are you doing here? Forget that; _how_ are you here?"

Aykono blinked. "I came through the well, of course."

Kira mumbled to herself, "I guess I was right about that dumb old thing." To Aykono, she said, "Never mind, it's ok. So, going back to my original question, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, right," He remembered the long bundle in his arms. "Some old guy and his ox told me to come here and give you this. He said it was a weapon or something."

Kira gasped. "It's ready! But, so quickly? Let me see it!" He gave it to her and she un-wrapped it carefully. It was a regular katana, with a red hilt and an intricate guard, but when Kira gripped the handle it flashed crimson and transformed into a much larger, much heavier curved sword. The blade itself was a deep crimson, but the handle was pure white.

Aykono was puzzled. "What is it?"

Kira gasped as it hit her. "I know what it looks like! I remember reading about swords called scimitars from a far off land. They look like this, only slightly different. In fact, this looks more like my father's sword, the Tessaiga."

"Oh, hey, there's a note."

Kira picked it up from where it had fluttered to the ground. "_Deer Kira, I new yew wood bee needing this, so I werked day and nite to forge it. It's made from the metel of a fallen star, and, it's strengthened with yer blood. It's almost as gud as the sword yer father has. It's desined almost the same too. Its speshal technique is Blood Slash. It's also got a speshal barrier on it, so full deemons can't tuch it. Have fun haking deemons to bits! - Tōtōsai and Mō-mō. _Well, how do you like that? The metal was already special in the first place! That old geezer didn't even need to drain me like a leech!"

Aykono looked at in amazement. "Yeah, but I bet it's a lot stronger now."

"What a beautiful sword. Too bad you won't live long enough to use it!"

Kira and Aykono were blasted from behind by a significant demonic source, which slammed them against the sacred tree.

It was the devil worshippers' leader. His once clear face was now scarred by several angry slashes, from ear to nose on his left cheek. He carried large knives which had demonic sutras on them. "I'm so sorry my colleagues couldn't join us, but I'm afraid they were all killed by falling shrines a week ago. I'm also regretful that the last thing you'll se before you die is my hideous face, but you have the young lady to thank for that."

Aykono wiped blood from his mouth where he had bit his lip. "Kira, who is this crazy fool?"

The man smiled. "Ah, so your name is Kira, how nice. I hate not knowing who I'm about to kill."

Kira laughed dryly. "You talk pretty big for a walking corpse. If you'd just stop hiding behind all your silly spells and incantations, maybe we'd be able to finish this."

His grin broadened. "What a wonderful idea. Though, I must warn you that you won't last a minute, even with your big, fancy sword."

Kira felt the barrier keeping them away from him dissipate and she charged at the man, poised for the kill. He dodged, but she'd been expecting that. She moved with him, slicing a deep wound in his arm. He dropped one of his large knives, as he winced in pain. "You're better than I thought. No matter. It won't happen again, and you'll soon be dead."

Kira lunged, and he saw an opening, and took it, swinging with all his might. Unfortunately for him, Kira's attack had been a feint and she defended her so-called opening, and slashed his other arm. He just barely managed to hold on to his weapon with both hands. Seeing he had met his match, he muttered a spell, and instantly, Kira's arms were immobilized. She struggled hard, cursing. He chuckled at her attempts to free herself. "You see, it is hopeless. You will now die!" He raised the knife, and swung, aiming at her neck. Aykono leapt upon him, knocking him to the ground, and his sword out of his hands. He pulled out his hunting knife and pressed it against the man's throat. "You cheating wretch. You fight dishonorably, using your curses and spells."

The devil worshipper just leered at him and muttered a word that might have been a curse or… a curse. It was of the former magical kind, and Aykono suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his head, as if someone was hammering it with a mallet. He doubled over in pain, holding his head, and in the process, misplaced his knife. The man rose and kicked the agonized wolf-demon, laughing. He grabbed his large knife and charged at Kira, who was still trying to regain the use of her arms. Just as he was about to stab her in the heart, she kicked hard, straight up, hitting him squarely on the jaw. It knocked him out cold. "You forgot that I could still use my legs, lame-brain."

His mind no longer conscious, the spells on Aykono and Kira instantly vanished. Kira raced over to Aykono. "Hey, are you ok?"

"Yeah. What about you?"

She smirked. "I'm fine. He never even touched me."

He ran a hand through his hair. "What are we going to do about him?"

Kira glanced at the man. "I don't know. We can't just leave him there." They needn't have worried, because the body was nowhere to be found.

"Aykono! He's gone!"

Aykono: Hey, wait a minute! How come Kira gets to curse, but I don't?

Emily, the Tsarmina of Tokyo: because she does it infrequently and with dignity.

A: What's that supposed to mean?

ETT: all it says is "She struggled hard, cursing", so i don't actually have to use asterisks like i do with you.

A: I still say it's unfair.

ETT: tough. now be good or i'll have my fluffy cat minions attack you.

A: AGH! I don't like cats!

YAY! I finally thought of a contest! It'll start on 1/20/10. You have to read my profile that day to get the questions, ok? And then use P.M. to send me the answers.


	13. Chapter 13

Sesshomaru could not believe the woman Rin had become. She was all grown up; no longer a child. She had the beauty and grace that is usually bestowed upon women. Of course, there was _some_ bias in Sesshomaru's judgment, attributed to his status as her father, but even the villagers commented on her beauty every time he visited her.

On one particularly enlightening visit, he became acutely aware that she was completely independent as an adult. She no longer needed to be reminded to take the kettle off the fire, or to not look under the rice pot lid until it was completely ready, and was able to provide food and shelter for herself. She no longer needed support.

To put it bluntly, she no longer needed _him_.

As a lord, Sesshomaru was cold and strong.

As a father, he was distinctly weak when it came to his daughter, and as such, he doted on her immensely in his own quiet way. He felt a sense of hopelessness on finding that he was no longer needed, though Rin made it clear that he was still _wanted_. She loved his visits, and loved her father even more.

At any rate, when his visit was over and he had said goodbye to Rin, it took him a moment on the outskirts of the village to regain his cold composure. If he had left immediately, we might never have had a story. But he did, so we do, so let's get on with it.

A scent wafted in on a strong breeze, tantalizing his senses, and making them alert. He thought it was his imagination, but there was something distinctly familiar about this scent which made every nerve in his body surge. A stronger wind blew in, whipping his Mokomoko around in a fluffy dance. There was no mistaking the scent this time, and the soft thud of bare feet on the ground behind him confirmed what he had realized.

Sesshomaru turned.

"Kagura?"

She smiled lazily at him. "Disappointed? I bet you thought you'd never have to see me again."

"I thought you were dead."

"So did I, but here I am. All in one piece, and back in the land of the living. Is Naraku dead?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "The miko Kagome destroyed him seventeen years ago."

"I've been dead that long?" She laughed. "I never thought I'd say something like that. Then again, I never thought I'd hear that Naraku was dead. Lord Sesshomaru, you just made my day."

"How is it that you have returned, wind sorceress?"

She grimaced. "So we're going to be a bunch of formal fuddy-duddies, are we? Look, just call me Kagura, and I'll call you Sesshomaru, and we'll get along just fine. The long story short is that a bunch of devil-worshippers in the twenty-first century brought me back to life in an attempt to enslave me, and Inuyasha's daughter Kira saved me and sent me back here."

The demon lord paced. "But why you? Why were you the one they brought back to life? There are dozens of other demons and sorcerers they could have conjured up."

Kagura backed away. "I don't know. Look, if you don't want me here, I can leave. I know not a lot of people are going to be too happy to see me, and I'd be doing everyone a favor."

"No. Don't."

They were both surprised by his reply, perhaps him even more so.

"Alright. I'll stay."

They were both silent for several awkward minutes, before Kagura asked, "How is Rin?"

Sesshomaru answered stiffly. "She's fine. She's a grown woman now, and can take care of herself. She is happy."

"I see. And are _you_ happy, Sesshomaru?"

"I have done my duty as her father. There is nothing more I can do."

Kagura laughed, and he glared at her. "You think this is funny?"

"Oh, no. I'm sorry, ha-ha! It's just, heehee, oh dear! It's just; you look so funny, ha-ha, sorry! You look like you're tearing yourself in two pieces, half of you trying to convince yourself to let her go, and the other half wanting to run back and protect your little girl."

He sighed. "That is how I feel. I am very confused."

"Of course you are. You've never had a daughter before."

He glared at her again. "And I suppose _you_ have?"

She glared back. "Hey, I'm not that kind of girl. Besides, my _father_ would never have let me. You seem to forget that I was _enslaved_ before I died."

He surprised her by saying, "I apologize. I did forget. You seemed like such a free spirit."

Kagura smiled sadly. "Only there at the end. And now, of course. I can do whatever I want now. But I will never let myself be enslaved by a man, ever again."

"I see."

She tried to grin, but failed. "So, what are we going to do about your daughter obsession?"

"I do _not_ have an obsession."

"Yes you do."

"I do not."

"Do too."

"Do not— I will not argue with you, woman."

"Hey, where do you get off calling me '_woman_'?"

"I am Lord Sesshomaru. I may call you whatever pleases me."

"And 'woman' pleases you? Give me a break; I thought we left the stone-age already. You are not a cave-man."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair—something he had never done before. "Woman, you can be very tiring sometimes."

"Do not call me 'woman', you egotistical, overbearing, dumb _dog_!"

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed, and his sword was at her throat in an instant. He blinked, not knowing what had happened. Kagura stared up at him in disbelieving terror. He lowered his blade. "Kagura, I—."

His words were cut off by the rushing wind that filled the glade.

Kagura was already on her feather and flying away like a shot. She did not know where she was going, nor did she care.

The only thing on her mind was getting away from him as fast as she could.

She flew with the wind, bending to its curves and swells, like a feathery boat on a sea of breeze. The wind could not be angry, or bitter, and that was what she liked about it. It was her friend, and she governed it with tender care.

But no matter how she tried, the demon that she had left standing in a glade would not stop plaguing her mind. Every time she visualized his impassive face, it was suddenly swallowed by the image of his eyes as he held a blade to her neck. The wind sorceress had never cried, even in her short life as Naraku's slave, but two crystalline droplets fell to the earth from her closed lids.

The wind tried to alert her, billowing her kimono around her, but too late did she see the tall tree that sent her crashing to the woodland floor. She landed with a sickening thud, and her feather reverted to its miniaturized state.

As soon as the air came back to her lungs, she staggered to her feet, leaning against the same tree that had felled her. She laughed softly to the wind. "That'll teach me to _fall_ for a handsome demon lord."

Her heart pounded hard in her chest, but something else was pounding, and rapidly towards her too. She turned to the sound, and was greeted by the huge figure of a troll-demon. He squatted close to the ground and sniffed at her. "Hurr, what do we got here? A tasty likkle snack, eh? Scrawny, ho yes, but he'll have to do."

He reached a giant, grubby hand out, and plucked her from where she stood, before she had a chance to do anything. His tight grasp squeezed her breath from her body, and her ribs groaned dangerously close to cracking.

She gritted her teeth. "You stupid—!"

We will never know what it was that she wanted to call the blundering troll, because, at that moment, his head was torn clean from his torso. The bloody thing crashed to the ground, along with his headless corpse, taking the still trapped Kagura with it.

When the dust settled, and she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were the pointed shoes of Sesshomaru.

She glared at him, upside-down. "I had everything under control."

"You were being squeezed to death by a stomach with legs."

"Oh, shut up and get me out of this."

When she was properly on her own two feet, she avoided his probing eyes. "Thank you, but I'll be going now."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

She paused. "I'm not sure of anything. I don't know if you remember, but you've saved me before."

"I remember. You were drowning. Rin tried to save you, and ended up in her own trouble. Jakken followed suit, and I was forced to save all of you. Rin called you a pretty lady."

"I can't believe you remember all that."

Sesshomaru stepped closer. "I also remember when you died. I tried to use the Tenseiga, but there was nothing I could do. You were smiling. When the miasma finally killed you, only a feather remained. I still have it." He took a small white feather from within the folds of his shirt.

Kagura stared at it in shock. "You kept that…? All this time…?"

"It was all I had of you." His hand cupped her cheek gently.

Her wide-eyed gaze went to him, and the eyes that looked back were kind; the first time she had ever seen them so. "But… You never acted like…"

He smiled. "Sometimes a blank page holds a book of secrets."

His mouth descended, and hers lifted, and the wind sorceress and the demon lord shared their first kiss together. Kagura felt her spirits soar on the wind, and Sesshomaru felt the deepest pleasure he had ever known. "Marry me," he said, and deepened the kiss, but, suddenly, Kagura jerked away.

Her eyes were filled with an inner battle. "I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. I will never be enslaved by a man, ever again."

He pulled her close to him. "Kagura, it is not enslavement to be married. It is the most liberated you will ever feel. It is love."

Sesshomaru captured her lips with his again, and this time, Kagura did not pull away.

And she never pulled away, ever again.

############

A/N: sorry i'm so late in updating. i actually wrote this really early so i could be on time with updates, but i ended up getting sick so I couldn't update. sorry! and why has no one entered my contest?


	14. Chapter 14

"Kira, I don't like this. We have no idea where that wacko is!" Aykono's new favorite word was "wacko", one of many twenty-first century words Kira had been teaching him.

"I don't like it either. He's completely lethal, and entirely unstable. I think he blames Yudai-kun and I for the death of his cult and the escape of his servant Kagura. That makes him reckless."

"Well, if you think about it, you kind of _are_ responsible for at least one of those."

Kira paced for the millionth time. "We're going to have to be ready for anything. He could be back anytime, and in his condition… I hate to think what he might do."

Mrs. Higurashi appeared with mugs of tea. "Here we are. It's so wonderful to have another of Kira's friends. First she made friends with Yudai-kun, then that nice Kagura lady stopped by, and now you Aykono-kun!"

"Hey, grandmother?" Kira asked suddenly. "What would you do if a crazy person was after you and wanted to kill you?"

Mrs. Higurashi's smile never left as she answered obliviously. "Well, there'd be no reasoning with a… mentally disturbed person, would there? I would say distancing yourself as much as possible would be a wise option. Of course, you wouldn't want to hide anywhere innocent people might get hurt if your pursuer happened to do anything… radical. Oh, I just remembered. Does anyone want some tea biscuits?"

Aykono and Kira stared at each other, and Mrs. Higurashi went into the kitchen to get the biscuit tin. Aykono was the first to speak. "Your grandmother is probably the wisest person I've ever met."

She nodded dumbly. "I had no idea she knew about strategy. And the way she explained it makes it sound so obvious!"

"She may not have even been using strategy. It may just be common sense."

Kira almost ran a hand through her hair, before realizing what she was doing. She quickly put her hand down. "I think I know what this means. I may have to go back to the feudal era for a while, to get away from this crazy guy. But, it seems like I just got here, and I don't want to leave."

Aykono caught her eye with his. "Kira, if this wacko is after you, then it's not safe for you here in the twenty-first century. It's a matter of safety."

Kira groaned and smacked herself. "Oh, no. How could I be so _stupid_? If I'm not safe, then Yudai-kun isn't either. There goes any possibility of leaving. He knows virtually nothing about fighting or killing, and he'd be no match for any sort of attack, so I have to stay and protect him."

He coughed. "Uh, Kira. Believe me, as a guy, he is not going to like the idea of _you_ protecting _him_. I mean, it wouldn't be that flattering knowing a girl is stronger than he is, and are you sure you can even take care of yourself?"

"Relax. I took care of him last time, didn't I? And, I'll make sure he doesn't realize I'm protecting him. Don't worry."

"Alright, alright. Hey, I thought you were going to show me around the city."

"Right," She looked him up and down. "We're going to need to get you into some of my uncle's old clothes."

"Why? What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"If you haven't noticed, people don't dress like that anymore."

"But that cult guy was wearing old-fashioned clothes— oh, yeah, that's right. _He's_ a wacko."

ooOoo

"Man, we're lucky you came on the weekend, or we'd have to hide you back at grandmother's house all day."

Aykono scratched his head, as he looked around at the new thing called a "mall". "Explain this school thing again to me. You go to a building, stay cooped up all day, except for infrequent breaks, and you _learn_ stuff?"

Kira nodded. "Basically."

"So, you don't get to climb trees, or run as fast as you want, and you _like_ it here?"

"Eh, I didn't say I like it. I just… It's interesting. A new experience that no one else from the feudal era will have had."

Aykono put his hand in the air. "Except me!"

"Yes, yes, you're very smart; shut up and put your hand down."

"Hey, what's that?" Aykono was pointing to a food stand.

"It's a hot dog stand. Do you wanna go check it out?"

"Is a 'hot dog' food?"

"Yeah…"

"Then, yes! I am STARVED!"

Kira winced at the volume of his voice. "Ok, then. Let's go— but, do you mind using your indoor voice?"

"What's an indoor voice?"

"Oh, dear. I see you have a lot to learn, my young Padawan."

"What's a padawan?"

"Never mind. I'll buy you a hot dog."

There was a small park outside the mall, and Aykono, tired of being in a building for so long, expressed his wishes to sit out there to eat. Kira decided it was necessary to instruct him in the art of eating a hot dog, because he tried to skin it with a disposable knife before she stopped him. She realized that introducing him to pizza would be out of the question, though it was close to okinomiyaki.

Kira smiled as she watched him scarf down the hot dog as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. "You weren't in a famine, by any chance, were you?"

He looked up with his mouth full. "No, why?"

She shook her head. "Never mind."

He finished eating and asked, "I'm not so sure it's safe for you to be out here. That crazy devil-worshipper could come back at any time."

"I'm glad I didn't let you bring your knife or you would be pulling it on anyone who looked at me. Would you relax?"

Aykono sat back and crossed his arms. "No, I will not relax. You are in danger, and I can't believe we're walking around like this. We should go home now."

"I'm fine, you big mother-hen. Look at me! I could take care of myself, even if you weren't here."

"I still say we should go home."

"Listen to me, Aykono: did you like the hot dog?"

He blinked, taken aback. "I… Yes, but what does that have to do with this?"

"If you liked it, then stop complaining. If you liked it, that means we can go home now. Happy?" They got up from their table and began the walk back.

"I won't be happy until we get back to your grandmother's house in one piece."

"Two pieces."

"What?"

Kira looked at him as if he were daft. "There are two of us, so there'll be two pieces."

He stared at her. "You're joking. How can you be joking at a time like this?"

She gave him a spontaneous hug, grinning as she almost knocked him over. "Aw, you're worried about me! Look! You're here to protect me, right? I'm fine! No danger, see?"

He turned away, face burning red. "Alright, alright. Uh, Kira? You can let go now, I get the picture."

"Say it! Say I'm not in danger, because I have you to protect me!"

"No way!"

"_Say it_."

"No."

Kira scowled at him. "Aykono, you say it right now, or I'll go _looking_ for the wacko devil-worshipper."

Aykono scowled back. "Alright, Kira, you are not in any danger, because I am here to protect you."

She let go. "Ok, but you might not have said it in monotone."

"Can we hurry? It's starting to get dark, and it's not safe for you to be out at night."

Kira sighed. "Alright, we'll hurry."

He was about to put on a burst of superhuman speed, when she stopped him. "But not _that_ much."

"Oh, right."

When they reached the house, Kira immediately escorted him to the well. Aykono saluted her. "See you later. Keep safe."

She rolled her eyes. "You know I will."

He was about to descend, but he paused, looking very serious. "Kira, I mean it. Don't do anything dangerous."

Kira blew a sigh of frustration. "Will you go already? I'll be fine!"

"Bye, Kira."

She waved, rolling her eyes again. "Bye, Aykono."

He disappeared from sight and she turned away, but paused before leaving the shed. She tilted her head, thinking for a moment. "This feels like déjà vu," She shook her head as she went back into the house. "I've been doing this way too often."

ooOoo

Lord Vasawaki— for that was the devil-worshippers' leader's name— nursed his wounds in the dark underbelly that was the hiding place for the scum of the city. He brooded and stewed, his mind boiling over with malevolence and hatred towards that little demon of a girl. How could he, the self-proclaimed lord of evil, be beaten by a _woman_?

It was intolerable.

Unthinkable.

Pathetic.

And, yet, it _had_ happened.

He would never be able to hold his head up if he didn't kill her.

But how to do it…?

Vasawaki's mind was warped and half-mad when it finally found a solution. It seized on the idea that entered his head, and let it consume him from the inside out, festering like an infected wound. The evil and putrid filth of his design affected his very soul, until he lost what remaining shreds of humanity were in him, and became almost a creature—almost an animal of demonic quality.

He was beyond hate.

He loathed and despised that which was Kira, and determined to let her world suffer for it; he was bent on wreaking his wicked havoc, and if his plot worked…

There.

Would.

Be.

_Suffering_.


	15. Chapter 15

"Two hundred and thirty-four… two hundred and thirty-five… two hundred and thirty-six…"

"_Ahem_."

Kira looked up at Yudai from her position on the ground. "Oh, hey. What's up?"

Yudai crossed his arms, frowning. "We get attacked by devil-worshippers, and yet you don't even flinch. You dive in there, fight most of them, and take out their leader. You can jump over people and walls that are over ten feet high, _and_ jump down from them without injuring yourself. You're doing two hundred and thirty-six crunches and not even breaking a sweat. _Something_ is just not right here, and you ask '_what's up_'?"

"Ho, boy. I've got some explaining to do, don't I? Well, can I at least get to two-hundred and fifty first?"

He gestured for her to continue, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "By all means, go to two hundred and fifty."

She quickly filled her quota, and leapt up, stretching. "Ok, what do you wanna know?"

"I think I already told you that."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, I do."

"You sure?"

"Yes, Kira, stop stalling."

"Right. I don't blame you if you don't believe me. Yudai-kun, I'm actually from the feudal era. My mother is really from here in the twenty-first century, and my father is a half-demon from the feudal era. They fell in love and my mom went to live with him in the feudal era, and they got married and had me. Because there is demon blood in my veins, I have an… interesting ability to surpass humans when it comes to physical strength. That's why I've reached my level of expertise and am able to do all that stuff you find freaky."

"I didn't say I found it freaky."

"Yeah, right. It's written all over your face."

He ran a hand through his hair. "But how did you get here?"

"I fell into a well that my mother used to use to travel back and forth to the feudal era. It hadn't worked for a while."

Yudai started pacing and running his hands through his hair. "So, all that stuff about living with your grandmother in a small town wasn't true? Is that why you didn't know about all sorts of modern stuff?"

She nodded.

"But how have you gotten through school? They didn't have all that stuff in the feudal era."

"My mom taught me all kinds of stuff no one else understood. I always wondered why no one else talked about stuff like hydrogen and oxygen, even though it was all around us. She had a high school degree, but as soon as she graduated, she went back in time to my dad."

Kira leaned up against the side of the house. "I'm sorry I lied, but it didn't seem like the wisest thing to tell a complete stranger."

"But I'm not a stranger!"

"You were when I first met you. A few months ago you were just this strange guy who made weird comments that I didn't understand."

Yudai almost paced into the wall. "So that's why you were wearing a kimono. But…" He turned to her, his eyes wide. "What about the blood? You didn't really bump into a butcher's cart, did you?"

Kira winced. "Uh, yeah, about that… I sort of got my hands cut up to give blood to a sword-maker so he could strengthen the metal he was going to use to make my sword. And, uh, I kind of lost a lot of blood, so I sort of… fainted, and fell into the well. That's how I got here by accident."

"You _fainted_?"

"_Not_ one of my finer moments…"

"So, where's the sword?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Right here," She produced from behind her back the long sword, wrapped in the cloth she had received it in. Kira pulled away the scarlet folds, careful not to touch the handle, which would trigger its transformation.

Yudai gazed at it in wonder. "It's amazing. And you can actually _use_ it?"

"Of course I can use it. I wouldn't have a blade made if I couldn't use one."

He gave her puppy-eyes. "Will you show me?"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

Kira sighed. "Oh, all right. You might wanna stand back." She gripped the handle and a pulse went through the sword, traveling up her arm and chiming with her heart-beat. The long blade glowed brightly, and in a blinding flash, it transformed into its true form, its brilliant scarlet metal pulsing slightly, and the white handle gripped firmly in Kira's grasp. The designs etched into the blade seemed to swirl and change before their eyes, as if it were alive.

Kira felt a warm contentment fill her up, and she began a few of the sword kata, most of which were offensive attacks. She leapt, lunged, twisted, and turned, in a whirling dance of danger, as if nothing else around her mattered. Yudai watched in amazement, admiring her complete concentration on her art, and her utmost skill in what she did.

When she came back down from the cloud she was on, Kira sheepishly halted, turning to Yudai. "Sorry, I got a little carried away there for a second."

He almost clapped. "That was awesome! You're really good!"

Kira grinned and faked a curtsy. "Thank you, but I've had years of practice. My dad helped me a lot with getting my form right."

He stared at the large, curved blade in wonder. "How did it do that? Transform, I mean."

"Well, it's sort of a demon blade. It's almost exactly like my father's sword— it was forged by the same blade-smith too."

"So, are you like a warrior or something?"

She tilted her head to the side. "I guess so. I don't go around _looking_ for battles like a mercenary, though."

"Are you like a ninja?"

She answered dryly. "Not likely. Ninjas are not exactly the most honorable people. I don't understand why people nowadays think they're so cool. They're just plain sneaky. I like to face my opponents head on."

"I thought you said you liked ninja-bunnies."

"Uh, that's different. Ninja-bunnies aren't real."

"They're _not_?"

"This isn't exactly the right time for jokes."

"Who's joking? I'm serious!"

"You don't actually believe ninja-bunnies are real, do you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. I was just giving you a hard time."

"Well, you're succeeding. Look, you know that devil-worshipper leader? The one that I 'took out'? He's alive, and he's trying to kill anyone who was involved in the accidental death of his followers. He already tried to come after me once, but even though I clocked him, he still got away. I need you to be really careful from now on. He could be anywhere."

Yudai snorted. "You're just being over-dramatic. And paranoid. You're para-dramatic."

Kira crossed her arms. "I'm not. I have a feeling that he's going to try everything to get back at us, and he's just the slightest bit crazy. Ok, that's an understatement. He's an absolute nutter."

"Are you sure he's alive?"

"Positive."

"And on the loose?"

"Yes."

"We are so dead."

She laughed wryly. "I wouldn't go that far, but we are in considerable danger."

"You seem pretty calm."

Kira wrapped up her sword slowly, which transformed back to its smaller state. "You've seen me use this thing."

"Good point." He paused, blinking in confusion. "Wait a minute. Pull off your hat."

"What?"

"Pull off your hat."

She slowly took off her black hat, exposing her hair and ears. Yudai strode over to her, and yanked firmly on her furry ears. Kira yelped in pain. "Ow, ow, ow, ow! What are you _doing_?"

"They won't come off."

"Of course they won't come off! They're attached to my _head_!"

He stepped back, staring at her. "They're real."

"I told you, I'm half-demon. Well, actually it's more like a quarter."

"You have cat ears."

"Dog ears, actually."

Yudai tried to look behind her back. "Do you have a tail too?"

Kira wrinkled her nose, and thumped him with her fingers. "No. Stop it."

Mrs. Higurashi appeared in the doorway. "Good morning, Yudai-kun! Would you two like a snack?"

Her granddaughter smiled. "Sure, grandmother!"

Mrs. Higurashi's pleasant smile widened. "Wonderful, I've got some apple slices and honey. I'll bring them right out."

Kira waved as she went back in the house. "Thanks, grandmother!" After she made sure Mrs. Higurashi had left, she turned back to Yudai, but he wasn't there. She started, looking around for him. "Yudai-kun? Where are you?"

"Over here, Kira!"

Kira headed in the direction she had heard Yudai, over by the old shed which held the Bone Eater's well. When she got there, there was no one to be seen. "Yudai-kun?"

"I'm afraid he's indisposed at the moment— may I take a message?"

Kira whirled around at the voice she recognized all too well. There, his long purple robe dingy and in tatters, a crazed look in his eye, stood Lord Vasawaki, or, as Kira knew him, the devil-worshippers' leader. He was holding the slumped figure of Yudai with a long, jagged piece of metal at his throat.

Kira narrowed her eyes. "Let him go."

The sorcerer smiled cruelly. "I'm afraid I can't do that. I need him as a hostage so I can get you to tell me how the ancient well works. The one you use to travel back and forth to the feudal era."

"How do you know about that?"

"I happened to overhear your conversation with this miserable human."

Kira's claws shot out and she bared her teeth. "I will never tell you. Let go of Yudai-kun before I kill you."

His eyes narrowed to slits. "You're in no position to demand anything. You make one move, and I'll slit his throat. Now, tell me!"

Her sword was lying only yards away. If she could distract him for a moment…

"Answer me, witch!"

She snapped back to focus. "Don't you dare call me a witch!" She sprung at him, and with a muttered curse, he disappeared and reappeared behind her. His arm shot out, catching a blow to the back of her head, which sent her tumbling to the ground. She sprang up instantly and, using her arms to support her, swung her legs out high, knocking him down to her level. Despite the hard hit he had sustained, Lord Vasawaki managed to keep his hold on Yudai.

Kira ran the short distance, and grabbed her sword, ready for anything, but the cloaked devil-worshipper was right behind her. She barely had time to pull the blade from the cloth before she was defending blows from an evil looking sword Vasawaki had produced. The two swords sang as he rained down strike after strike, all the while keeping a firm hold on Yudai.

Kira gritted her teeth against the numbing blows, trying to think of anything she could use to her advantage against unwavering barrage.

She stumbled, falling backwards, and Vasawaki was upon her immediately. "Tell me, or you both die!" He raised his sword high above his head.

Kira's legs shot upward, propelling him back into a wall. "I can't believe you used the same attack, even after it failed the last time."

Without thinking, she raced to where he was almost imbedded in the wall, and yanked Yudai away. She lowered him to the ground slowly, careful not to let his head hit the concrete. She turned back to Vasawaki, but he was already recovered and out of the wall. He landed a stinging slash to her arm, and another to her leg. Kira parried his next strike, and twirled around, returning the favor by injuring him on his shoulder. The wound was fairly deep and he hissed at her in pain.

"Kira!"

She tried to ignore Yudai's shout as he finally came to, but her eyes instinctively flickered in his direction.

That was all Vasawaki needed. He lunged, and Kira just managed to keep from being impaled by dodging to the right. Even so, there was a fairly large graze wound on her side, and it took a great deal of willpower to keep from gasping aloud.

"You cheat! That was a dirty trick!" Yudai charged toward Vasawaki, but the evil sword turned on him, and he very closely missed being skewered.

"Yudai-kun! _Move_!" Kira knocked him to the ground, and the jagged blade of Vasawaki's sword swiped over their heads, clipping a few wisps of Yudai's hair. The sword clanged into the drive as they rolled to the side, and the devil-worshipper struggled to pull the blade out of the solid concrete, near to where they had lain a moment ago.

"Run, Yudai-kun!" She pushed him ahead of her, and he stumbled as fast as he could to get away. He chanced a glance back, and immediately halted. Lord Vasawaki had Kira in a choke hold, and was taking immense pleasure in squeezing the life out of her. Yudai tried to race back, but the evil sorcerer stopped him by taking Kira out of the hold and putting the jagged piece of metal he had produced from his sleeve to her neck— exactly the same way he had held it to Yudai's. "Take one step and she's dead."

Yudai stopped, clenching his fists. "Don't hurt her."

"I don't think that will be a problem— as long as you tell me how the well works."

Kira struggled hard. "Don't tell him anything!

"I don't know how it works."

Vasawaki pressed the jagged edge harder, resulting in a small trickle of blood. "_You lie_!"

"Ok! Ok, just don't hurt her! All I know is, you jump down the well! That's it! That's all she told me!"

A malevolent grin spread across the sorcerer's face. "Very good. But she will still die!" He raised the piece of metal, clenching it so tight it bit into his palm and drew blood, and the crazed look in his eye spread through his whole body.

He plunged it downward.

Yudai shut his eyes in horror.

Kira spat in the sorcerer's face and elbowed him in the groin. He doubled over, nearly cutting her face as he took her with him. She put him in a judo hold and flipped him over, bringing her elbow smashing down into his back. He gasped in pain.

Yudai tackled Kira and dragged her away. "Are you insane? We've gotta get out of here!"

She struggled, wriggling out of his grasp. "No! I've got to take care of him now! While we still have the chance!"

A cloud of dust was rising from where Vasawaki lay, obscuring him from sight. A deranged laugh issued from the center, before it plowed into the shed like a tornado. In a flash of purple, it disappeared, along with the crazed laughter.

Kira stared in horror. "Oh—," and used an interesting verb for solid waste that comes out of the human body.


	16. Chapter 16

Kira burst into the house. "Grandmother! I have to go to the feudal era! I don't know how long I'll be gone! It might be a few days!" She dashed into her room, gathered up a few items, and raced back out. "Please don't worry about me. I have to do this!" She ran back outside, and Mrs. Higurashi followed her.

"Kira, be careful."

She glanced back, and waved. "I will!"

Yudai was right behind her as she sped to what was left of the shed. "Kira, I am so sorry! This is all my fault!"

She sighed. "Don't blame yourself. It's my fault I let him get away. Now, I have to finish what I started. Take care of my grandmother!"

She was about to leap into the well, when he stopped her. "Wait. You're not going without me."

"Yudai, it's too dangerous."

"I can help! I can fight!"

"No."

He crossed his arms and planted his feet firmly. "I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Kira rolled her eyes and grabbed the front of his shirt. "Hurry up then! We don't have all day!"

ooOoo

"Oh…"

"Stop gawking and get on my back."

Yudai blinked. "Wait, what?"

Kira gestured to her waiting back. "You're too slow. We need to move quickly, so I'm going to have to carry you."

"But— it's— I can't—!"

"You can and you will. Get. On."

He slowly complied. "This is so wrong."

"Just shut up and stop making me feel worse."

"Sorry."

"Hold on— it may get a little bumpy!" She practically flew, so glad to be able to run as fast as she wanted. Yudai gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the extremely fast pace. He felt like he was on a rollercoaster, and he happened to _not_ like roller coasters.

Kira stopper rather suddenly and almost sent Yudai flying. "I just had thought."

Yudai was incredulous. "You stopped so you could _think_?"

She scowled. "No, it's because of that thought that I stopped. I have a really good friend who may be able to help us go after that devil-worshipper. He lives near here. I'll be right back with him." In a flicker she was gone.

Yudai stammered. "But— you— ah…"

Kira felt a thrill go through her at the thought of seeing Aykono, and wondered why she was so excited. She stopped outside the wolf-demon village and ran at a slightly human pace towards Aykono's scent. He was by the waterfall with Shun. They were fooling around, throwing pebbles into the water, until they smelled her coming. They turned, and she called out just before reaching them. "Aykono! I need your help! Remember the wacko? Well, he's here."

He was on his feet in an instant. "Where? How? Are you alright?"

Shun cocked his head, staring at Kira. "What are you wearing?"

"I'm fine." She explained everything, with most of it going way over Shun's oblivious head.

Aykono ran a hand through his hair and checked his weapon. "I'm coming with you. We have to find this guy and take him down."

Kira nodded. "My sentiments exactly. Come on, I've got Yudai-kun waiting."

"_He's_ here? What you bring him along for?"

"I couldn't help it! He refused to stay behind."

"You're too soft, Kira."

She sighed. "I know. But, I think he blames himself for letting that bozo get here."

"Who's Yudai? And why are you wearing such strange clothes?"

Kira looked at Shun, blinking. "Oh, uh, these are clothes from the future, and it's a long story. There's kind of a lunatic on the loose."

Shun pulled out a short sword, brandishing it wildly. "Well, if there's fighting, count me in!"

"You don't have to come."

"As long as we're kicking somebody's butt, I don't care. Whose butt are we kicking?"

"A sorcerer."

His sword drooped a few inches. "Oh… Is it too late to withdraw my offer?"

Aykono patted his back. "Come on, hero. Let's go."

Yudai was sitting on the ground, pulling up grass and muttering something about abandonment when they arrived. He stood up and dusted himself off. "It's about time. I was getting bored." He stared at Aykono and Shun. "Who are they?"

Kira introduced everybody, but that didn't stop Aykono from staring down the other teenager. Everyone agreed that haste was crucial, but Aykono insisted on carrying Yudai, instead of Kira.

Trees whooshed past and everything became a blur, as they raced through woodlands and across meadows. Nothing was familiar, and Kira had to rely on Vasawaki's scent to find a trail. "He must be moving pretty fast. Maybe even the same pace as us. His scent doesn't seem to be getting stronger, or weaker."

Aykono pulled a face. "He smells like dank water and rotten rice."

Shun sniffed under his arm. "Oh, that might be me. No, wait. I smell like onions."

"That's gross."

They traveled all day, and around dusk, they lost Vasawaki's scent. It seemed he had disappeared in thin air. They decided to bunk down for the night, and Aykono and Shun found a nearby forest, well supplied with various birds. Their hunting trip left Kira and Yudai alone in the meager camp they had set up. Kira scuffed a small pit, where she lit a fire. She pulled out a bundle, which she had attached to her sword. "Yudai-kun, I'm going to go change into some feudal era clothing so I won't look so conspicuous. Stay here and guard the camp."

"Yes, ma'am." he grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Aye, aye, captain."

"Good."

She changed behind a tree, far away from the camp. When she returned, she was wearing the kimono she had worn the first time she had traveled to the future. She and her grandmother had been able to wash out the bloodstains months ago, but she had never had a need to wear it since then. She liked the clothes from the future, but this was more comfortable, and it felt like she was really home now.

Yudai stared at her. "That's the…"

"Yep."

"I've been wondering— isn't it shorter than other kimonos?"

Kira turned pink. "Well, uh, yes, but I need it to be, so I can have more versatility when I fight. Don't worry; I'm wearing zubon trousers underneath."

"Aren't trousers a no-no for girls in the feudal era?"

"Shh!"

"And why are your feet bare?"

Kira rolled her eyes. "Because I can't be bothered with sandals. I used to go barefoot all the time." She pulled out a few more items from the almost limp cloth that had been her bundle.

"Is that _armor_?"

"You don't actually think I would go into battle without protection, do you? Aykono and Shun-kun are already wearing theirs, and I feel naked without it." She strapped on the fitted breastplate, and slipped her arms into the bracers after wrapping them with thin strips of cloth. She used more of the cloth to wrap up her ankles. She placed all of her twenty-first century clothing in the bundle and tied it tightly so that no one could see the strange clothes. "There, that should do it."

"Are you going to sleep in your gear tonight?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Yudai shook his head. "You are weird."

"Thank you."

They both stared at the fire in silence. Yudai was trying to think of something to say, when his stomach growled loudly.

"Are you hungry?"

H grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. We didn't have lunch or anything."

"Don't worry, Aykono is a fairly good hunter; he should be back soon. Of course, he's not as good as me, but he's alright."

"You like him, don't you?"

Kira glanced up in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I've seen the way you look at him. And when you talk about him, your body's here, but your eyes are looking into some far off place."

She blushed. "I do not."

"Kira, you can stop denying it. Your face just gave everything away."

She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. "You're not upset about it, are you?"

"Are you kidding? It's great!"

Kira's head jerked up. "_What_?"

He laughed at her astonished face. "You thought I liked you, didn't you?"

"Well, the thought _had_ crossed my mind…"

"Well, _un_cross it. You're not the object of my highly coveted affection. I've got my eye on this girl named Chisuzu at school. She has the most amazing legs, and she looks really cute in her uniform—."

"Ok, subject change!" She interrupted. "I really don't need to hear about her legs. I believe you! That's wonderful! But what did you mean when you said it was great that I like him?"

"You just seem way too focused on… excelling. You worked your butt off to catch up in school, you're always training, and you barely ever do anything normal. I mean, you never go shopping like normal girls, and you never talk about boys unless you're talking about sports. It's time you were normal and got a boyfriend."

"I don't want Aykono to be my boyfriend."

Yudai stared at her. "You don't? I thought you liked him."

Kira bit her lip. "I do, but, boyfriend… isn't exactly an appealing term here in the feudal era. I've still got my roots here in the past, no matter how far in the future I've traveled."

"I see. Well, your Facebook relationship status would say _complicated_."

"What?"

"Never mind."

"Hail the conquering heroes!" Shun called out to them as he and Aykono emerged from the trees. "I am the victor, and to the victor goes the spoils!"

Aykono scoffed. "Victor? All you got was a squirrel. _I_ did most of the hunting."

"Ok, ok, that may be true, but I _did_ carry half of what you got, right?"

"Whaddya mean you carried half? All you've got on your back is one stinkin' rabbit and that piddly little squirrel."

"Oh, _right_! Like you're carrying an entire deer! Look, all you've got is that fox, those two rabbits… uh… and those birds, and… uh…"

Kira laughed. "You may want to stop now, before you dig your grave any deeper."

Aykono smirked. "Too late. After he tossed the dead squirrel on me, he lost his third chance."

Yudai scratched his head. "_Third_ chance?"

"He used up his first two when he fell out of a tree _twice_. The second time, he landed on _me_."

"Is he heavy?"

"_Very_."

Kira looked Shun up and down. "He looks it."

Shun crossed his arms. "Hey, just because you can't appreciate my charming good looks, doesn't mean you have to pick on me."

"Charming good looks? Shun-kun, the back of your head looks better than the front."

After cooking and eating the game, everyone agreed that it would be a good idea to go to sleep early, so that they could get an early start in the morning. Yudai was appalled that they were going to sleep on the ground, but obliged anyway.

Kira was laying her down to rest, when she noticed that Aykono was still sitting up, unlike the other two, who were snoring like hogs. "Hey," she whispered. "Aren't you tired?"

He nodded. "Someone needs to stay up on watch, and I'm the man to do it. I have more stamina than you guys."

"Stamina won't last you too long. Why don't I take the first watch?"

"Are you sure you can stay up?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I can. I'm not a delicate flower, you know."

"Alright. I'll take over about halfway through the night."

"Sounds good to me. Good night."

"Good night."

Kira checked her blade and kept her hand on the hilt at all times. She stared into the fire, mulling over everything that had happened. It was almost surreal how history repeated itself. Her mother and father had told her many stories about how they traveled together with Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, a long time ago, pursuing Naraku and the Shikon no Tama. Hopefully, this endeavor wouldn't last as long. She couldn't imagine chasing after this mad-man for years, with Yudai in tow.

Things seemed to fade and darken. The fire was a glowing, fuzzy yellow and orange outline that seemed vaguely familiar. Kira was gripped with fear that the sorcerer had snuck up on their camp and placed a spell on her.

The hand that came down upon her shoulder brought her sword halfway out of its sheath, before she realized it was Aykono. She breathed a sigh of relief, and clutched at her chest. "Oh, you gave me such a scare. What'd you sneak up on me for?"

He chuckled under his breath. "It's my turn for the watch. You were practically falling over from drowsiness."

So, that's what that strange feeling had been. At least it wasn't the mad-man. "Ok," she yawned. "See you in the morning."

Aykono watched her curl up and drift off to sleep almost instantly. "See you in the morning," he whispered.


	17. Chapter 17

"Wake up! Time to go! Let's get moving!"

Yudai and Shun covered their ears. Yudai groaned. "Do you have to be so loud?"

Aykono smirked, looking at Kira next to him. "Of course. Otherwise we'd never get you up."

Shun rolled over, mumbling, "Goway 'n comeback ina fewhundredyears."

Kira paused, as if thinking about it. "Hmm, no, sorry. We kind of have to leave RIGHT NOW! So could you please get up now? Thanks."

Shun grumbled at Aykono. "She's louder than you."

"I know. We need someone who can keep you in line."

"Less chatter, more moving! We'll have to run fast and hard if we're ever going to catch up with the mad-man." In a lower tone she asked Aykono, "Are you going to be all right today? You've been up for a while already."

"I'll be fine."

"Great!" She clapped him on the back cheerfully. "You get to carry Yudai again."

"Oh, no…" Yudai groaned.

A few minutes later, they were off. None of them could find the trail again, but they followed the same course they had taken yesterday— due north. They stopped at a small town to ask if anyone had seen a great whirlwind, but no one had. They resumed their fast-paced journey, hoping to find some sort of sign pointing the right direction to Vasawaki.

Yudai was getting quickly discouraged, and his mood was only increased by the uncomfortable jostling from Aykono's pounding feet. "How are we going to find him again? He could be anywhere in Japan by now."

Kira glanced back, never slowing her pace. "I don't think so. The fastest his funnel could go was level with our speed. He couldn't have gotten that far, even if he didn't stop for the night."

Shun piped up. "But, you have to admit, he could be quite a long ways away by now."

Kira smiled grimly. "Try to keep a positive outlook for now. Let's not give up hope yet."

A flicker of movement ahead caught Aykono's eye. "Hey, there's somebody behind that tree!"

"Halt!" Everyone heeded Kira's shout, skidding to a stop.

The unknown figure was darting between the foliage, glancing around furtively and nervously adjusting the straps of his rice basket. When he spotted the small band he started guiltily, before running in the opposite direction.

Kira gestured. "Come on! I don't like the looks of this."

They ran after the stranger, easily catching up with him. When he realized there was no escape, he fell to his knees pleading pitifully. "Good sirs and lady! Spare me my life! I am a poor man; I have nothing of value that you might want!"

Kira suppressed a laugh. "Sir, we're not bandits. We just want to know why you ran when you saw us."

The man, although greatly relieved that he was not going to be robbed and murdered, was still trembling. His eyes darted from side to side. "I should not say! He might hear my betrayal!"

Shun stepped forward. "Betrayal?"

The man cowered. "Yes, yes! He forbade us to speak to strangers! My life is forfeit now! He will know! He has eyes! Terrible eyes!" He began gibbering incomprehensively, shaking with terror.

Kira knelt down beside him, smiling kindly. "Sir, we won't let any harm come to you. Tell us who it is that has you so frightened."

The man, who had hid his face in his hands, lifted his head, eyes wild. "The stranger."

"Who is the stranger, sir?"

"We know not! He came out of no where in a mighty storm, destroying things with his powerful wind, harnessed by his bare hands. He had the sign of Satan and the eyes of the devil, and he commanded everyone to stay in the village and speak not to any strangers that passed by. We have seen no one until now! He will know! He has evil magic; he will know! I will be slain!"

Aykono was growing annoyed. "You won't be slain. We won't let anything happen to you! Tell me, why are you out here, where there is no village that I can see, and yet you seem to fear this stranger?"

The man gestured to the rice gathering basket on his back. "I must leave! I must go! It's not safe in the village anymore! He's already killed seven people! I had to get away, so I packed up all my belongings! I'm leaving! Going! Away from that filthy village, defiled by his black magic, made evil by his influence! People cower in doorways, hide in corners, trying to get away from his demonic aura! But the only way is to leave! Forever! And that's what I'm going to do!"

Kira tried to keep up the smile that had slipped off her face as he had spoken, but it was a lost cause. "I understand. But first, what did this stranger look like?"

"He was covered in tattered robes, with the hood always up and covering his face! When he passed, there was a horrible smell of rotting flesh that emanated from under the clothes!"

Kira turned to the others grimly. "That's the perfect description of the devil-worshipper."

The man stared at her, nodding his head slowly. "Devil-worshipper? Yes, yes, that's right. But! Is he a follower, or is he the devil? His name is different, but Satan has many names! It could be him in one of his many forms! Lord Vasawaki is just an alias, covering up the real demon that is there!"

Yudai grimaced. "So, his name's Vasawaki, eh? A right nasty name for a right nasty piece of work."

Kira turned back to the man. "Where is this Vasawaki now?"

He shuddered. "In the palace. He's always in the palace. Never leaves. Not since he first came. Killed everyone in the palace. No one left. All dead. He abides there, destroying as it pleases him from afar. No matter where you are in the village, his voice reaches you! Always! You can hear it in your head! It torments you till you go insane!"

"Where is this palace, sir?

"Not far from the village. Not far. Too close. Up on the mountain, it sits, waiting as he waits. The trees cover most of it, but you can see it sometimes. Oh, yes, you can see. But when you look at it, you can feel his dark presence all around you! Don't look at it!" His last words rose to a shriek.

Kira held his flailing arms, trying to calm him down. "We won't! Don't worry! Please, be still."

The man was panting hard. "It's dark, so dark. The palace is as black as his soul. He kills. He kills all. No one is safe."

"You're safe, sir. He's not here."

He seemed to gain a bit of his sense. "That's right, because I'm getting out of here! I'm not staying in a village where you can be murdered on some mad-man's whim! I'm leaving it all behind. He can rot there in his stinking place with his stinking filth for all I care!"

He stood suddenly, making as if to go.

Kira shot a swift glance at Aykono, who nodded. She stopped the man by putting a hand on his shoulder. "Please, sir. Could you take us to your village?"

His eyes widened, and he shook his head wildly. "Never! No! No! I'll never go back! You can't make me! I won't go! I'll never give my soul to the devil!" He ran off at a trot, staggering unsteadily.

Aykono was about to go after him, but Kira held him back, shaking her head. "Let him go. He's had enough of a fright as it is." But she did shout after the man, "Hey! At least tell us which way the village and the palace are!"

He glanced over his shoulder, but never stopped running. He pointed a shaky hand. "That way! North-west! You're crazy! You all be killed! Your deaths will not be on my head!"

Yudai watched in shock as the man disappeared into the trees. Shun shook his head. "That guy's a lunatic. Still, I feel sorry for him. He must have been through a lot to get like that."

Aykono was watching Kira, whose back was to him. "Kira, are you alright?"

She turned, jaw clenched. "He said that seven of the villagers were killed, and that everyone in the palace was slain." Her eyes blazed. "But I swear I will see Vasawaki dead. He will pay for his crimes if it's the last thing I do."

Aykono placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're with you, Kira." The others nodded in agreement.

She relaxed only slightly. "Thanks." She turned to Shun and Yudai. "You two, scout ahead. I want to know the exact position of the village and the palace's position relative to it." To Aykono, she said, "We're going to have some heavy planning to do."

The two others saluted cheekily. "Yes, ma'am!" Both ran off, Yudai slightly behind the faster Shun.

Aykono and Kira got down to work immediately, sketching out tactics in the dirt. "Now, the palace is probably big, with lots of high walls and gates. It's going to be hard to penetrate."

He gestured to the drawing she had made. "But even so, there's only one person guarding it."

"Yes, but Vasawaki has his mumbo-jumbo to help him defend it. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a demonic shield around the entire perimeter."

"That's going to be a problem."

"Indeed. Hopefully, it won't be too strong, since he's not an actual demon, so my blade may be able to slice through it."

"We should enter from the opposite side of the village, making our way through till we get to the palace. He'd expect an outside intruder to attack from the other side, away from the village."

"I agree. Maybe the spells won't be as heavy on the entrance, since he'd be expecting an attack from the back."

"We'll face him head on."

Kira paused thoughtfully. "Do you think what the villager said has any credibility? About Vasawaki being able to see everything?"

"It's possible. He may have spells that alert him to things."

"Then he'll know where we're attacking from as soon as we get there."

"We'll give it our best shot. If he knows, oh well. We'll have to fight him face to face sometime."

"Do you think Yudai-kun will be ok? He doesn't really know how to defend himself, let alone attack."

"I think he'll be fine. We'll both keep an eye on him." He paused. "Do you like him?"

Kira looked up from the plans in surprise. "Who? Yudai-kun?"

"Yeah, him."

"No."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Oh," he said, slightly taken aback. "But I thought you—."

"Nope."

"Not even a—?"

"Nope."

He hesitated. "So, who _do_ you like?"

"Shun."

"SHUN?"

"No."

"What?"

"I was teasing you."

Aykono glared. "That's not funny."

Kira giggled. "Yes, it is."

"Ok, maybe a little, but you really scared me for a second."

She laughed. "Yeah, that is a scary thought."

"No, I'm serious."

"So am I."

He took her hand gently. "Kira, the mere thought of you being in love with Shun almost sent me into a seizure."

She stared at her hand in his. "I was kidding."

"But I'm not. We're about to go into battle, possibly to our deaths— who knows what kind of fight that mad-man will put up. You or I might be killed, or even Shun or Yudai."

"Are you leading up to gallows humor?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "I'm leading up to a confession if you'll just be quiet for a minute!"

Kira stared at him in shock. "A what…?"

Aykono took her other hand. "Kira, I … love you, and I just wanted you to know that before we go into this thing with Vasawaki, in case I might die."

"You're not going to die."

"I might.

"You. Won't."

"Kira, that's not in our hands."

"If you die, I'm going to kill you."

"I'd already be dead."

"I don't care. You cannot die."

"Why not?"

Kira bit her lip and looked away. "Because… I'm… in love with you too. So… you're not allowed to die!"

Aykono gripped her hands tightly. "Say that again!"

"No. You know what I said. I don't need to tell you again. And you're strangling my hands."

"Oh, sorry." He released them. "Kira, please. Say it again."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do."

She squirmed in embarrassment. "Oh, all right! I… love you." She turned a deep pink.

He stared at her. "Did you just blush?"

She looked up at the sky, her voice bordering on mortification. "Yes! And it's your fault!"

"I think that's the first time I've ever seen you blush."

"I hope it's the last."

"Kira, have you ever been kissed before?"

"No."

"Well, then," he said, recapturing her gaze. "In case either of us dies— here." Kira found herself being kissed, though it wasn't a sudden kiss. It was the kind that builds up slowly, but before you know it, it's happening. Neither of them wanted to let go. Aykono felt a thrill at finally being able to do the very thing he had been longing to do. Kira had never felt anything like this feeling that welled up inside her as his lips captured hers.

A shrill whistle sounded from deep within the trees.


	18. Chapter 18

Kira and Aykono whipped around, their hands on the hilts of their weapons.

Yudai and Shun fell over themselves laughing. Yudai pointed at them, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Oh, you should have seen your faces!"

Shun held his aching middle. "That has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen."

"Nice kiss guys! Too bad you got interrupted, huh?"

"Yeah, or they might have spent eternity in each other's arms!" Shun tried to mimic Aykono. "Oh, Kira! I love you!"

Yudai took up Kira's part. "Oh, Aykono! I love you too! If you die, I'll kill myself."

Kira smirked. "Shows how well you were listening. I said I'd kill _him_ if he died. And my voice isn't shrill and squeaky like that."

They shrugged. "Same difference."

Aykono strode over to them and grabbed them by their ears. "You guys are just a bunch of little kids!"

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"Not the ear, not the ear!"

He laughed at their howls of pain. "What do you think, Kira? Should I bash their heads together?"

She shook head seriously and pantomimed tightening a noose around her neck. "Nah, we should string 'em up and let them swing in the breeze. Like dirty laundry."

"No! Please, no! Aykono, you wouldn't do that, would you?"

"Kira! I showed you around the twenty-first century! I'm your friend, right? We were just kidding!"

Kira rolled her eyes. "And so were we, sheesh. Shun, pull yourself together and stop trying to make tears come out of your eyes. It won't work."

"Dang it. I thought I could get points for crying."

Yudai tried to switch sides. "Yeah, Shun, stop faking it. You're already in trouble for making fun of them."

"_Me_? You're the one who came up with the bright idea to whistle at them!"

"Er, uh, ha-ha, that's irrelevant, Shun. _You_ whistled the loudest."

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Did too!

Aykono stared at them in disbelief. "They're like… toddlers."

Kira nodded sadly. "Completely. It must be hard to have so little brains between them."

"We heard that!"

"I know."

"Stop insulting us!"

Aykono raised an eyebrow. "It's not an insult if it's true."

"We don't have to take this treatment! Come on, Yudai, let's go!"

"Yeah, we're leaving!"

Kira inspected her claws casually. "Have fun in the wilderness all by yourselves, guys. I hope you realize you're walking into a demon's nest by going out alone."

Yudai stopped. "Really?"

"Uh-huh…"

Shun crossed his arms. "Don't listen to her, Yudai. She's just trying to scare us."

"It's working."

"Don't worry; we'll take care of any demons we cross paths with!"

"Uh…. actually… I'm not that great a fighter."

"You what?"

"I've never really been in a fight before. Successfully, that is."

Shun groaned. "Great. Just great." He turned to Kira and Aykono. "Will you take us back?"

"Well…" Aykono said scratching his head as if he didn't know.

Kira laughed. "Oh, stop torturing them. Yes, you guys can come back."

"Ok," Yudai said. "Now that we're back to being friendly: why were we in the woods again?"

"You were going to scout out the palace Vasawaki took over."

"Oh, right, right. Well, you have to go straight through the village to get to the palace, which faces the center of the village. It's got high walls, a big front gate, barely any windows and lots of towers. The walls are made out of plaster and the roof tiles are red pottery. The front gate is barred from the inside, with no visible handles on the outside.

"Oh, and I almost forgot the best part: The front of the palace sits right on the edge of a cliff, with what looks like used to be a narrow path leading up to the entrance, but it's obviously been destroyed on purpose. I'd say the back way is the best route. If you go around the side of the cliff face you can get around the back which is like one giant easy slope that leads right to the back wall."

Kira sighed. "Great. Anything else?"

"Did I mention that there are giant flashes of purple-y lightning coming from one of the towers? And you hear this crazy laughing every few minutes."

"Thank you for painting such a vivid picture. Your contribution to our morale is immense."

"No problem— wait, what's she say?"

"She said thanks a lot you bringer of doom."

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger! If there's anyone you _should_ shoot, it's Vasawaki. He's really bringing down the property value on that palace."

"What?"

"Never mind. My humor is so not appreciated."

Aykono glanced at Kira. "Now _that's_ gallows humor."

"Yeah, yeah." She turned to the others. "Alright. I know the back way sounds like the easiest way into the castle, but it isn't the best way. Vasawaki will expect us to try to get in through the back, and he'll have lots of spells and traps there, while the front is less guarded. We'll go right to his front door and be in before he realizes it. Hopefully, we'll have the element of surprise on our hands."

Yudai's eyes bugged out. "You mean we're going to _climb_ up that cliff? That's not what you're suggesting, right?"

"No, I'm not suggesting we do _that._ I'm telling you."

Shun nudged Yudai. "Hey, you better obey her. She'll tan your tail if you don't. And you might want to pick up your jaw from the ground before the ants crawl in."

Kira bit her lip. "It's going to be rough, and it's going to be taxing. But we have to get up there at all costs. We have to avenge all the lives Vasawaki has destroyed, and even the ones he could if he was allowed to live."

Aykono ran a hand through his hair. "Soooo…. we're just going to climb straight up?"

"Yes."

"Great! I like a challenge!"

"Problem," Yudai pointed out. "I don't have super strength. I can't do a free solo climb. I doubt I'd make it six feet up, let alone hundreds."

Kira turned to Shun. "You're on carrying duty when we get to the rock."

"Aw, man! Why me?"

"Because Aykono has been carrying Yudai-kun this whole trip. And you need to start pulling your weight around here." She looked him up and down. "Well, a fraction of your weight."

"Hey! I resent that. Fine, any other reasons?"

"Because I said so, and if you don't do it, I'll pound your face into the dirt."

"Your second reason was much more convincing. I'll carry Yudai."

"Thank you."

She heard him whisper to Aykono, "Did you hear that? She actually _thanked_ me! She's never done that before!"

She also heard Aykono growl, "Don't let it go to your head."

They started off in the north-westerly direction the villager had told them, keeping low in case Vasawaki had any watching spells. They found the village just as the man had said: houses burnt, and no one in the street. In addition to that, not a single living animal was to be seen. There was a hitching post here and there, but the reins that were tied to them were frayed and dangling, as if the horses had snapped free.

All the doors and windows were shut tight, and some of the houses were even boarded up. Kira noticed a small child standing in a doorway, with the door slightly cracked open. When the child saw Kira watching her, her eyes went wide in terror and she slammed the door.

Aykono motioned to Kira to stay low, as they crept silently through the village. Kira saw a brilliant flash in the sky, coming from what looked to be a mountain engulfed by trees. "Is that the lightning you were talking about?"

Yudai nodded silently.

Kira thought, _Ho boy…_

A screech rang out into the air, followed by the sound of piercing cackling that seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere.

"And that's the crazy laughing."

Yudai nodded again, gulping.

Kira raised an eyebrow. "This should be fun."

They reached the outskirts of the village, the side closest to the giant looming cliff face. They stared up at the menacing climb ahead of them. Shun turned and started walking away. "Well, be seeing ya!"

Kira held him by the collar. "Get back here."

"I was kidding, I was kidding! Please don't hurt me…"

Aykono cracked his knuckles. "This is serious, you guys. If one of us falls, there's nothing to keep us from plummeting to the ground."

"Thank you for that lovely pep-talk, Aykono."

"No problem."

"He's right," Kira said. "We need to take this nice and easy. Don't be a slow-poke, but don't rush it either."

"Let's do this."

Yudai climbed onto Shun's back, who complained loudly. The four— uh, three climbers took a running leap at the wall of rock before them, grabbing onto crevices and ledges when they landed. They scrambled up the cliff face, almost running with inhuman strength. Yudai yelled, getting jostled by the bumping. "H-hey! I th-thought-t y-you wer-re goin-g to t-tak-ke it-t s-slow!"

Kira called back in surprise. "This is slow!"

"D-doesn't-t f-feel l-like-ke it-t to me-e!"

Aykono laughed. "The way you described it, I thought this would be difficult! It's pretty easy!"

"'S-not e-eas-s-y to m-me!"

Shun scowled. "What are talking about? _I'm_ doing all the work!"

"It's-s a l-lotta wor-rk-k get-tting-g bump-ped a l-lot!"

"It is not, you liar!"

"It is-s t-too-oo!"

Kira rolled her eyes. "Do you have to fight everywhere? Come on, let's pick up the pace a little! I'd like to be there before my hair turns gray!"

"Oh, n-no-o! Pl-leas-se no-o!"

They sped up, leaping from ledge to ledge. They were already about halfway up the cliff and a long way from the ground, when the rocks became looser. The ledges were narrower and crumbling. "Watch out ahead! This could get tricky!"

Almost as soon as the words had left her mouth, the ledge Kira leapt to gave way, and she slipped. Her eyes widened in panic, and she looked around frantically for a something to grab onto, but it was too late. She fell in jumble of loose rock and shale, scraping against the brutally sharp rock face which had held her just a moment ago.

The others stopped abruptly, as they stared down in horror, watching her fall.

"_Kira_!"

###############

A/N: if you don't know what exactly a free solo climb is, look it up on Wikipedia. it might surprise you how many different "free" climbs there are. i really wish i could incorporate more free running (another Wikipedia look up for you) in this story. hmmm, maybe in the next chapters… ooh….


	19. Chapter 19

_**No**_, Kira thought. _I need to __**live**__!_

She dug her claws into the side of the rock, slowing and finally stopping her fall. She gritted her teeth against the agony in her fingertips. Small pebbles and loose shale sprinkled her head with dust and dirt. She swiftly grabbed a handhold, then another and another, pulling herself up, and at the same time finding ledges with her feet. She slowly made it back to her position before she fell, to where the others had stayed frozen in shock. Aykono immediately asked her a dozen questions. "Are you all right? Are you hurt? Did you scrape yourself? How are your hands?"

Yudai's eyes were wide. "We thought you were a goner."

She laughed shakily. "It's gonna take more than a little fall to get rid of me."

Shun scowled at her. "_Now_ do you think it's a good idea to move quickly?"

"Well, yes. If this part here is loose, who's to say the rest isn't? We have to move fast if we don't all want to fall to our deaths."

Aykono nodded. "Kira's right. We need to get off this cliff as fast as we can. Just be careful."

They began moving again, keeping an extra careful lookout for loose ledges and rocks. As they climbed higher, Yudai looked down. "Ho boy, that's high. Ohhh, that's high."

When they finally made it to the top, he jumped off of Shun's back, lying on the grass. "Oh, sweet, solid earth!"

Kira looked at him in amusement. "You do know we're still on the cliff, right?"

"Yeah, but now I can't see the bottom hundreds of miles away."

"Feet, Yudai. Only a few hundred _feet_ away."

"It felt like miles."

"I didn't know you were afraid of heights."

"Neither did I, but I certainly have a phobia of them _now_."

"Hey, guys?" Shun gulped. "I found the palace."

They turned and found themselves facing an immense wall of solid plaster and rock. "Oh… I wondered where it was."

Yudai tapped his foot nervously. "Well, let's find the door and ring the doorbell to see if anyone's home."

Kira pointed at the giant gate to the left. "It's kinda hard to miss it."

Aykono took a step back to judge the height of the wall. "What do you think? Over the wall or through the door?"

Yudai piped up. "Which one has the least amount of bodily pain?"

"The wall."

He groaned. "Heights, here I come again." He clambered onto Shun's back, grumbling along with Shun.

The group (excluding Yudai) backed up as far as they could without falling off the cliff. Yudai looked behind him and gulped at the distance they had climbed. The three teenagers ran full speed at the wall and, at the last minute, jumped high into the air. They landed squarely on the wall. Kira did a check. "Is everybody ok?"

Yudai was looking around below him. "I think I lost my lunch somewhere."

"Ha-ha. Very funny. No broken bones?"

They all replied in the negative. She turned to face the inside of the wall. It was a giant front courtyard, leading up to the enormous steps of the inner wall, which also had a gate. The courtyard and watch-towers on the outer wall were littered with both the whole and mangled corpses of the guards and palace servants. The group stared at the massacre before lowering their eyes.

They leapt down the wall they were currently perched upon, landing cat-like and silent, before running across to the second wall. Using the same method they had applied to the outer wall, they jumped onto the top of the wall, and descended just as swiftly into another courtyard.

This one was smaller and led straight to the palace. The five, odd, tower-like tō pagodas loomed ominously over them. There was a strange purple aura that seemed to be emanating and spreading from the central most tower. The central palace was only one story on ground-level, but it connected to every tower.

"Let's go." Kira said, placing a hand on her weapon. They dashed across the courtyard, and were almost to the front doors of the palace when a shriek resounded, echoing within the walls. It was joined by other shrieks and screams, growing louder and louder until their ears rang with it. From out of the courtyard ground came ghostly, floating figures— some robed in white, others in black. Their faces were frozen in agony or terror, and their skin was shriveled and wrinkled with the curse of time. They flew out at the four waving their limbs and rolling their eyes in a horrifying display. They moaned and groaned, shrieked and screamed, making any sound that could come out of their mouths.

A harsh, crazy laugh filtered through the noise, taking center stage. The same voice that cackled boomed, "_How do you like my guests? They woke up just for this occasion! And aren't they just __**dying**__ to see you?_"

As the last word died away, the spirit-demons halted their noise abruptly, and they turned to the group, surrounding them and piercing them with their red eyes. They hissed, rushing at the four teenagers.

Kira unsheathed her blade and it transformed without delay, as if it knew the situation was dire. "Weapons up! I hope your blade can kill spirit-demons, Aykono! I can't do this by myself!"

"Of course it does! Wouldn't be a proper demon-slaying weapon if it didn't!"

Yudai held up his fists. "I don't have a sword, but I can distract them at best!" He took a jab at the closest spirit-demon.

Kira yelled, but it was too late. "_Yudai-kun, no!_"

His fist went right through the spirit-demon, but it infuriated the apparition, who spit at him and lashed out with her vicious claw-like fingernails. Red scratches marred Yudai's face where there had been none before, as he backed up in shock.

Kira pulled him back. "You have to be careful! Normal humans can't touch or kill them, but they sure can kill you."

He nodded shakily. "Yeah, I see that."

The same spirit-demon came back to wreak vengeance, but Kira slashed it in two, ghostly blood dripping and fading before the thing disappeared into a wisp of pale smoke. She did not linger, however, and moved on to the next three spirit-demons. Aykono and Shun were doing much the same— Shun only slightly less effective due to the shortness of his dagger. He struggled to get a stab in at a particularly nasty demon. "Darn these things! I can't get close enough to get a good poke at them!"

Kira shouted encouragement. "Keep it up! You can do just as much damage with that dagger if you just get in there!"

"How am I supposed to 'get in there' when _there_ is where those sharp claws are?" He finally plunged his knife deep into the spirit-demon's ghostly body and it dissolved.

The rest of the sprit-demons were dealt with accordingly, and soon they were all gone. Aykono wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "Whew! That was fun."

Yudai stared at his shoes, which were oddly out of place in the feudal era. "Sorry, guys. I wish I could have helped more."

Kira put a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok. You'll get your chance."

Aykono threw him a small hunting knife, which he fumbled to catch without cutting himself. "Here. So you won't be completely defenseless."

"Thanks."

Kira tightened her grip on her sword. "Everybody ok? Good, let's get moving again." She strode determinedly up the palace steps, with the others in her wake. The large, solid doors were locked, but Kira and Aykono opened it with the combined force of their kicks. It swung open, revealing a dark hall, filled with shapeless masses on the floor.

Yudai wrinkled his nose. "What's that awful smell?"

Aykono's voice was flat. "Death."

There were two adjoining halls, one to the left and one to the right. They stopped, looking at each in turn. "Which one looks like it leads to the central tower?"

Shun gestured to the right. "That one."

Yudai shuddered. "That one also has more bodies."

Kira motioned to follow her as she entered the right corridor. "Then we're probably on the right track."

It was dark except for the faint glow from Kira's sword, and they had to feel their way along the wall.

"Ouch! That's my foot!"

"Sorry."

Suddenly, a lantern appeared above them, glowing brightly and hovering in the air. More like it appeared down the hall and back the way they came, illuminating the bloodstained corridor.

Shun crossed his arms. "Well, they could have shown up sooner."

"Don't trust them. They're not here to help us." The others stared at her, but her gaze rested on the eerie lanterns.

They walked in silence down the never-ending hall, picking their way over the many corpses. On looking back, they found that they could no longer see the opening they had entered through, only the bobbing lanterns and the yawning corridor, both ahead and behind.

"This thing goes on forever," Yudai complained.

Shun smiled wryly. "Well, at least we can see now." As he said this, the lights went out without warning. "Oh, darn."

Kira's ear twitched in the dark. "Did you say something?"

"I said, 'Oh, darn'."

"No, after that. Did you say something?"

Aykono put a hand on his dagger. "I don't think anyone did."

A sort of growling echoed through the hall, making it hard to detect where it was coming from. In the very dim glow of her sword, Kira saw something huge slither through the group. "Watch out!"

A barbed tail whipped out, catching them by the legs and knocking them to the ground, but just barely missing them with its sharp blades. They scrambled back to their feet, only to contend with the wildly whipping, scaly tail that lashed out at them. Kira slashed blindly at it with her blade, severing its barbs from the rest of its tail. It hissed and shrieked, writhing out of the red light from her sword that had increased in power.

Aykono used her scent to find her. "Did you get it?"

"I don't know. I hit something, but I don't think I killed it."

"What is that thing?"

"_That my dear boy is the legendary Serpent of the Dead. My own little pet, as it were, recently acquired in this demon plentiful land of the past. Why don't you take a look?_"

Kira growled. "I know that voice."

The lanterns flickered and lighted themselves, revealing the gigantic coils of moving, scaly, horrible snake that reared in front of them. Its three tongues flickered out of its fanged mouth, taunting them with their quick movements. Its eyes narrowed, scanning them intelligently for the one who had chopped off its beautiful weapon of destruction— otherwise known as its tail.

Serpents of the Dead are very sensitive about their tails.

Whether it was by instinct or by smell, it found Kira and lunged at her, fangs poised for the kill. She dodged, just barely jumping out of the way before its poisonous teeth sunk into the wall behind her. She swung her sword downward, cleaving its head from the rest of its body. The serpent crashed to the floor with a loud thud. It was still

Shun whistled. "That was fast."

Kira shook her head grimly. "That was way too easy." As if triggered by her words, the body trembled, raising its headless neck, turning towards her as though it sensed where she was. It shook and extended, the flesh growing and branching out in three long heads, all of which had deadly fangs.

Yudai groaned. "Aw, come _on_! Really?"

Shun raised his dagger. "Everybody take a head!"

Kira jumped to stop him. "No! That'll only make it worse! Every time you cut off one head, three more will grow back!"

"How are we supposed to kill it then?"

"The heart— we have to go for the heart!"

Aykono leapt out of the way of one of the heads. "How are we going to find the heart on this thing?"

Yudai scrambled to avoid being crushed by a moving coil, stepping sideways in the hallway that now seemed cramped. "It's only a little ways from the head! On the left side!"

"The left side is against the wall!"

"I got it!" Aykono dashed between coils and heads, dagger poised. He leapt onto the back of the serpent, which shook wildly, trying to throw him off. He plunged the long dagger into the left side repeatedly, hoping to get lucky. The first wobbly jabs were unsuccessful, but on the fifth blow, the monster's eyes widened and it shrieked in agony, rolling in pain. Aykono stood back from the serpent. It slithered against the wall, rubbing the wood as if trying to rid itself of the death that was coming to it. It quivered and lay still. All six of its eyes were dim.

Yudai shuddered. "I am never gonna look at grass snakes the same way ever again."

"Just think: they're about a hundred times smaller."

The snake twitched making Yudai jump. "Ugh, I hate after-death spasms."

"Let's go." Everyone's pace was quick, as all of them wanted to be as far away from the dead snake as possible. Kira was growing anxious at the length of the corridor when it branched out into a large circular room. At the far end, stone stairs started, spiraling up around the walls to dizzying heights. There were no rails, and each step was built into the wall, several inches apart.

Shun raised his hand. "Ok, who thinks we shouldn't go up the creepy stairs to our possibly immediate deaths?"

Yudai raised his hand before putting it down again.

Aykono gave Shun a look. "Very funny."

Kira started towards the stairs. "No fooling around, guys. That's the way we gotta go."

Shun rolled his eyes. "Come on, we better follow the mad-woman to see that she doesn't get herself killed."

Kira and Aykono took the steps three at a time, leaving the other two behind a little ways. Higher and higher they climbed, making the floor look a very long way away. Kira looked up, peering into the darkness. "I think I can see the top."

Shun groaned behind her, his voice echoing upon the stone walls. "Good, my legs are killing me!"

Yudai could only nod in agreement— his breath was spent on his laborious climbing.

"Don't worry; it doesn't look too far away. It's just so dim in here."

"Do you hear something?"

Kira looked at Aykono. "Yeah, what is that?"

Yudai puffed, scrabbling up the steps. "The… floor…. It's moving!"

Shun grabbed him by the front of the shirt, pulling him along. "Not the floor! The stairs!"

Kira and Aykono halted, whipping around. The stairs were turning at a diagonal angle, connecting each edge to the one above and below to form a long, smooth surface. This change started at the bottom of the steps, working its way up in a domino effect, and making a rumbling sound of stone against stone.

Kira needed no further warning. "Everybody run!"

The four ran as fast as their already tired legs could take them. The turning of the stairs was not a slow thing, and it began to overtake them. "Come on! We're almost there! Just a few more feet!"

She heard a sharp cry behind her, and she turned, still running. The step beneath Yudai's feet had turned and he was sliding down the slick, stone surface of a slide. She made it to the top where there was a large landing and an opening in the wall, along with Aykono, just in time to see the same thing happen to Shun. They watched helplessly as their friends slid back down the dark tower, the shouts echoing and reverberating among the stone. She yelled down when there was silence. "Are you ok?"

The answer came back from Yudai. "We're alright! A little bruised, but fine!"

Aykono stepped to the edge. "Can you get back up?"

Shun put in his shout. "No! It's too slippery! You guys go on! We'll be fine!"

Kira shook her head in frustration. "No! We're not leaving without you!"

"Kira, you have to go! Avenge all the people Vasawaki has made to suffer! Remember your vow!"

Yudai's reasoning made her bite her lip. "Ok! But we'll be back for you!"

"I know you will! Kick some sorcerer butt first, though!"

Aykono and Kira hurried through the doorway in the wall. They entered a vast, pitch-black space. Aykono fidgeted. "I don't like this."

Kira nodded. "Neither do I."

The dim light from the doorway disappeared along with the opening, plunging them into impenetrable darkness. Kira's sword was glowing bright, pulsing crimson, its etching swirling wildly on the blade.

"_At last_," Vasawaki's voice hissed. "_You have arrived to meet your doom_!"

##############

A/N: gomen-asai! i am so sorry i haven't posted for three whole weeks! i feel like such a heel! there were some, er, problems, such as a… well, grounding from the computer… and writer's block…. but i'm back! we're almost to the end now! eeeee! the final battle will be fought… in the next chapter of: A new generation!


	20. Chapter 20

Kira extended her claws. "Come out, you coward! We've been through your little funhouse, but now it's time to face the music!"

Aykono growled, as they circled, back-to-back. "You're gonna pay for all the innocent lives you took, Vasawaki!"

The projected voice hissed in anger. "_You dare to say the name of the all powerful_?"

Kira grasped her sword tightly. "I'm gonna dare a lot more than that. I've sworn to kill you, _Vasawaki_. What do you think about that?"

The voice chuckled. "_Not if I get you first_!"

"Kira do you hear that?"

She nodded. "His voice sounds like several voices together."

"You know what that means."

"He's been possessed by a demon."

"If not more than one."

"_No whispering! No whispering when I kill you! It's not polite_…"

Kira rolled her eyes. "Give me a break, you overgrown worm. Reveal yourself so I can get to killing you already."

"_Fine. I was hoping to prolong your pitiful deaths, but since you're so impatient to die_…"

The pitch-black darkness vanished.

Kira held back a gasp.

Vasawaki was suspended in the air, held up by writhing tendrils of demonic power, connected to several demonic spirits floating behind him. His sightless eyes were blood-shot and wide; his mouth open and gasping like a fish's. He raised a hand, muttering words whispered to him by the demons. Lightning flickered out from his palm.

"Move!" Aykono pushed Kira aside, he himself jumping out of the way. The lightning arched outward, striking the very spot they had been standing on only milliseconds before. Several more bolts crashed into the stone floor around them, making them dodge and weave.

Kira clenched her teeth. _He's toying with us!_

She raised her sword, zigzagging between the lightning. She charged headlong at the floating figure of Vasawaki. Tired of the games, her blood was up and she was ready to kill. She barely heard Aykono's shout. "Kira, no!"

The lightning came at her, but she deflected it with her blade. The demons hissed, moving Vasawaki so he wouldn't be hit by the returning bolt. He jerked around like a ragdoll on a string— looking like the puppet he was.

Kira leapt, unthinking, unfeeling, at Vasawaki, only to be batted aside by the demonic tendrils. She slammed against the stone wall, before dropping to the floor in a heap. She was up in a moment, but Aykono was already headed for the demons, his long dagger raised.

He sliced and stabbed at the demonic tendrils, which wrapped around and stuck to his blade, like smoky, violet cobwebs. He shook his hand in frustration, trying to dislodge the tendrils, but they only entangled themselves around his arm— constricting like a lethal snake. He backed away, but they pulled him in.

Kira was having her own trouble with the demons. Little Creeper-demons scuttled out like miniature crabs, surrounding and engulfing her. They bit and scratched, snapping with their various sharp implements. She swiped at them with her sword, but they were too small to get a wack at. She stamped, but they disappeared beneath her feet, reappearing somewhere else to inflict pain. She yelled out beneath the swarming masses. "Hey! I thought you said you wouldn't prolong our 'deaths'!"

"_I lied._"

"Figures."

Kira felt her blade vibrate in her hands. She stared it, trying to ignore the biting Creeper-demons. _What is it? What do you want me to do?_

She felt her arms moved by an unexplainable power. Taking the sword in both hands, she closed her eyes and swung the blade in a wide arch around her.

"_Blood Tide_!"

Deep red waves from the blade engulfed the Creeper-demons, wiping them out completely. All that was left were a few ashes that lay sizzling on the stone.

Kira held up her sword. "I name you _Shinkō Zetsumei_. _Crimson Death_, we have a sorcerer to kill."

Aykono struggled as the demonic tendrils pulled him in towards the demons that were controlling Vasawaki. He heard Kira's yell, and vaguely saw the flashes of red light, but because of his bonds, he hadn't really seen anything.

Besides, he was a bit more preoccupied with the impending doom of death by evil demons.

The tendrils of power had him almost mummified. The last tentacle-like vine was closing around his eyes when he heard Kira yell again. This time she was closer, and a lot stronger. He felt his bonds loosen and fall away— writhing purple wrappings that quivered on the floor before laying still. Aykono shook himself, trying to get rid of the numbing effects of the demonic vines. "What was that?"

She twirled her sword in a dizzying flash. "_That_ was _Crimson Death_ in action for the first time."

"Very impressive."

"Thank you."

"_Would you stop that infernal whispering? I've already told you once_."

A dark, purple mist filtered through the hissing demons, clustering near the floor, but slowly drifting up and around the room.

Aykono backed away instinctively. "What…?"

Kira recognized it immediately. "Miasma. My father and mother have told me about this. It's a poisonous, demonic gas."

"So, we want to stay away from it, right?"

She looked at him. "Unless you want to die…"

"Right. Got it."

They kept as far away from the gas as possible, but the room was soon filled with it. Kira shook her head. "This isn't good."

Aykono put his face in his shoulder. "Breathe into your arm. You'll inhale less poison that way."

"Way ahead of you."

They crouched near the floor, where the miasma wasn't as thick.

Aykono squinted, trying to keep the poison out of his eyes, but also trying to see through the mist. "I can't see a thing. I think we've lost Vasawaki."

"Just stick close to me. We need to make our way to the demons so we can destroy them. If we do that the miasma will dissipate."

Vasawaki's voice laughed hysterically, overlapped by the demons. "_Ring around the rosy, the air is full of posies! Ashes and ashes is all that will be left of you!_"

Aykono coughed. The air was getting thicker and thicker with poison. "What… is he talking about?"

Kira scowled. "It's a nursery rhyme. That twisted—."

"What's a nursery rhyme?"

"Never mind." They slowly made their way around the room, using the wall to go in a circular movement, getting closer and closer to the demon-possessed sorcerer.

Kira tried to clear her throat of miasma. "I think… We're almost there, Aykono." She paused, breathing heavily. "Aykono?"

His voice was faint and far behind her. "…Kira… I don't think I'm going to make it… The… the miasma is getting to me…"

She struggled to turn and go to him, but her limbs were quickly being numbed by the poison entering her body. "Hang on!" Her shout was weak and brought on a fit of coughing. "Just… I'll be right there!"

"No, Kira… Remember your vow…You… you've got to leave me. I'll… be fine."

Kira's eyes welled up, but she couldn't tell if it was her or the poison making them do that. "I can still kill Vasawaki… I just have to get you out."

Aykono's voice was even fainter. "Kira…? You remember what… what I said? You know… before?"

She nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "And you remember what I said… right?"

"Right… Just remember what I said… and go kill Vasawaki for me…"

"…Ok." She choked on the miasma and her tears. "I will. I promise!"

All that met her was silence.

"Aykono?" She listened, eyes wide at the all too quiet sound. "_Aykono_?"

Chuckles reverberated around the room, distorted in her poison-muddled head. "_Oh, dear, is the little wolf-boy gone? How sad… How tragic… How…_" He paused. "_**Delicious**_."

Kira willed her legs to stand. "You rotten—!" She collapsed against the wall.

"_It sounds as if you're fading fast too, mutt. Why don't you just give up? You'll never win anyway…_"

"I…"

"_That's right… Just slip into a quiet world… It's much more peaceful there… You'll soon be with your beloved…_"

Her eyelids slipped down heavily. "Maybe…"

"_Yes… yes…! Just fall away from everything…_"

Just before the darkness enveloped her, she heard Vasawaki and the demons say, "_Join the others that have journeyed there… Your vow need not be fulfilled when you're about to join them anyway…_"

Kira's eyes flashed open, and a sharp clarity entered her. She heard the words of her friends.

_Avenge all the people Vasawaki has made to suffer! Remember your vow!_

_Remember your vow…_

…_go kill Vasawaki for me…_

And she heard her voice as well.

…_I swear I will see Vasawaki dead. He will pay for his crimes if it's the last thing I do…_

_Well_, she thought, gritting her teeth. _A promise is a promise!_

Kira heaved herself up and set off at a painful run. As the adrenaline built up, she ran faster and faster. Using her instincts, she leapt into the air, sword raised high above her head.

_Whoosh._

The blade severed the tendrils connecting the demons to Vasawaki. A screech, like that of metal upon metal, issued from the enraged monsters. Vasawaki plummeted through the air, hitting the floor with a sickening thud. Kira saw the demons swarm through the thick haze, hovering above his body, making rasping, clicking noises as they inspected him from a short distance.

Amazingly, he shuddered, hauling himself up with apparent difficulty. He staggered forward, trying to regain his temporarily displaced balance. Kira stood in a ready stance, waiting and watching like a wolf watching its prey.

Suddenly, Vasawaki lunged at her, teeth bared, and eyes blazing. She moved nimbly to the right. He lunged again, this time scratching her cheek with long, unnaturally sharp nails. The miasma in the air seeped into the wound, making it sting painfully. Kira wiped away the blood that trickled down her cheek.

_Kill her, kill her!_ the demons screeched.

Vasawaki made a movement with his hands that Kira couldn't make out. She didn't have time to wonder about it though. He sucked the miasma into dense balls, igniting them with conjured up fire. He threw the deadly flames at her, one after another. She shielded her face with her arm, grimacing at the searing, scorching burns that were accumulating on her forearm.

Kira ducked, rolling beneath the rapid-fire and knocking Vasawaki to the ground. She stood to finish him.

Her eyes widened and she gasped for air, choking on the poisonous gas. A small dagger stuck in her side, and attached to it was Vasawaki, grinning evilly up at her. She struggled, but managed to pull enough strength together for one final swing.

_Thud._

His head fell, rolling away as his body slumped to the floor.

The demons screeched and descended upon Kira. Their horrible jaws full of jagged fangs opened wide as they charged.

Kira pulled the dagger from her side, staunching the flow of blood with one hand, and preparing her sword in the other.

_Shinkō Zetsumei_ shook in anticipation, as if to say, _Let's do this._

Kira stood firm and took aim. Just as the demons were about to attack, she let go of her wound, and with both hands on the hilt, she brought _Crimson Death_ crashing down.

"_Ketsueki no Tetsu!_"

The acid blood burned the demons away.

They shrieked.

_Crimson Death_ sang.

And Kira collapsed.

Before the darkness took her, she thought with a dreamy smile, _I guess it really was the last thing I did._


	21. Chapter 21

Mrs. Higurashi stared out the kitchen window, idly watering her planter. Sota let himself in when she didn't respond to his knock. "Mom? Hey, mom?" He found her standing in front of the kitchen sink. "Mom? Mom! You're overwatering the plants!"

He rushed over to take the small watering can from her. She looked down in dismay at the small flood of overflowing water spilling from the planter. "Oh, dear. I seem to be doing that a lot lately."

Sota grabbed a dish towel, soaking up all the water with it. "What were you doing anyways?"

"Watering the plants, dear."

"No, I mean besides that."

"Oh," She paused. "Just… thinking."

"You seem to be doing a lot of that lately."

She smiled. "Yes, I suppose so. How's Yudai-kun, dear?"

He smiled ruefully. "School-wise? As well as he can. He's getting fairly good grades and he's got a girlfriend. Some nice girl named Chisuzu. But I think he really misses Kira a lot. They became very good friends over the few months they knew each other."

Mrs. Higurashi turned back to the window. "We all miss her."

Sota hugged his mom. "Is that what you were thinking about? Kira?"

She nodded. "We hardly got to spend any time with her before… I miss her more than I can bear to admit."

"Oh, mom. You've just got to remember that she'll be with us always."

His mother smiled. "You're right, Sota. I'll remember."

ooOoo

Kagome brought out two bowls of rice to Inuyasha. He took one and helped her sit. They both looked out at the field before them, thinking about the same thing. Inuyasha took a bite of his rice. "It's so quiet since Kira's been gone."

Kagome smiled. "It was quiet when she was in the future too."

"Yes, but it's not the same. It's… different somehow."

"I miss her too, dear."

He sighed. "I didn't know it was going to be like this. I mean, they didn't give us any warning! They just went off and… we didn't even know until it was too late. And now they're gone."

Kagome laughed at her husband. "Dear! You make it sound like they went behind our backs and gave us no choice! It was a little late, I'll admit, but it's what they wanted. And besides! It's not like we won't see them ever again! Why, they're just down the road!"

Inuyasha grumbled. "It's a lot farther than that."

She poked him in the ribs. "It is not. Now stop being such a party-pooper. I made this rice especially for the two of us. A sort of 'Our-kid-is-out-of-the-house' celebration rice!"

"What's there to celebrate?"

Kagome put her hands on her hips. "Now you listen to me: Kira didn't die, and it's not the end of the world! She got _married_. She's happy! She has a husband! Not to mention a baby on the way!"

He groaned. "That's the worst part; now we can't take her back from him."

"Oh, you old fogey! Don't you want grandchildren?"

He looked conflicted. "Ye-e-e-s…"

She shook her head. "I swear, sometimes you act like Sesshōmaru."

Inuyasha sat bolt upright. "I do not!"

"You do too. He acted the very same way every time he found out Rin and Kohaku were having children."

"Yeah, but-but-but—."

Kagome didn't let him finish his 'buts'. "And you know how he got over it? When he married Kagura. They had each other so he didn't worry about the kids anymore. Or the kids' kids, for that matter."

He shook his head. "I still can't believe she came back.

His wife smiled and leaned into him. "It was a miracle."

He put his arm around her. "So, what? Are you saying I should do like Sesshōmaru and find a distraction?"

"Excuse me? You already _have_ a distraction."

Inuyasha faked a puzzled look. "You mean demon-slaying?"

"Don't make me 'sit' you…"

He slammed into the floor, face-down. Kagome looked at him sheepishly. "Oops. Didn't mean to say the actual word."

He pulled himself out of the wood. "I don't believe you. That was deliberate."

"Inuyasha, it was not and you know it."

"You're so cute when you're indignant."

Kagome blushed. "I'm not as young as I once was."

Inuyasha took her in his arms. "You'll always be young to me."

And the two, who were still a young hanyō boy and a young human girl at heart, kissed as they did so long ago, when they were living their feudal fairy tale.

And they're still living it, to this day.

ooOoo

"Kira are you sure you're alright? You're not tired are you? Do you want to sit down?"

Kira scowled at her husband. "I'm fine, Aykono. I'm not due for another seven months! I can still hunt without fatigue!"

Shun walked by the couple with his bow in hand. "Somebody's in trouble… Aykono's gonna lose…"

She turned to him. "Hey, I may be pregnant, but I can still hit you over the head."

Aykono tried to calm her down. "Come on, Kira. Let's just get this kill home."

She crossed her arms and followed him. "You'd think I'm crippled, the way everyone thinks I'm weak. I can still do all the stuff I used to!"

"Of course."

"I'm as strong as ever!"

"Yes, dear."

"I'm perfectly fine!"

"Mm-hmm."

"I'm— ooh, morning sickness!" She dashed behind a bush.

Aykono rolled his eyes. "'Perfectly fine' my butt."

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing!"

"That's what I thought." She reappeared, poised and composed.

They began walking again. "Why is it called 'morning sickness' anyways? Don't you get it in the afternoons too?"

Kira shrugged. "I don't know; that's just what my mom called it."

"You're mom seems a lot smarter than that."

"_She_ didn't invent the name! That's just what _her_ mom called it!"

"So why'd her mom name it that?"

"_Her_ mom didn't name it that!"

"Then who did?"

"I—!" She thought a moment. "I don't know…"

"Huh. I wonder who does…"

"Idunno."

"So are we done arguing with no one?"

"Yep."

"Good."

They broke through the tree fringe, entering the outskirts of the village. Their small house was fairly separate from the others, near the trees for easy access to the woods and the animals within. Kira was often in their small plot of water in the rice fields, but she and her husband were mostly hunters and demon-slayers.

They were close friends with many of the villagers, including Suki and Daijiro's rapidly blooming family. Picnics were regular occurrences among Sango, Suki, Rin, Kagome, Kagura, and Kira's families. They were a very large clan in all. In fact, they were late for an extended family picnic right then.

Kira hung the kill outside the house, covering it with a basket so predators wouldn't be able to get at it. "We'd better get going; dad always gets worried when we're late."

"Especially now that you're having a baby."

She laughed. "Remember last week when I had morning sickness during our picnic? He thought I was having the baby right then!"

"And that was in the _afternoon_ too."

"Would you give the morning thing a rest?"

"I'm just saying it doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to make sense!"

"Yes, it does."

Shun walked by carrying a small basket of smoked fish— his offering for the picnic (He was made an honorary family member after he invited himself to the first few picnics). "Ugh, are you two _still_ arguing?"

"Yes."

"No."

Kira and Aykono looked at each other, laughing.

Shun rolled his eyes. "All your lovey-dovey arguing is ruining my appetite. Let's go already! I'm starving!"

They followed him, bringing Kira's special tea in a large urn with a spout. "I thought you just said you _lost_ your appetite."

"I got it back."

Aykono smirked. "So quickly?"

Kira took his hand. "You shouldn't be surprised; it's Shun."

They reached the meadow, joining the other families. Inuyasha rush over, taking the urn from his daughter. "Are you ok? Here, this is too heavy for you. Did something happen on the way?"

Kira smiled, hugging him. "I'm fine, dad. We just finished hunting a little late."

Kagome hit her husband playfully on the arm. "She's fine, Inuyasha." To her daughter, she said, "He was this way when I was carrying you. He thought I couldn't do anything!"

Kira arched an eyebrow at her husband. "That sounds a lot like _someone_ I know…"

All the experienced and soon-to-be parents laughed knowingly. Sesshōmaru and Kagura looked at each other quizzically, thinking that maybe they would know what they were talking about in the future, but they certainly had no idea then.

Good food, good friends, and loving family were in abundance that beautiful afternoon in the meadow. The sun was shining through the trees, and the Sumire violets were blooming all around them. The blades of grass around the Bone Eater's Well swayed in the breeze.

The same well that started everything, both long ago in a feudal fairy tale, and in it's sequel… written by a new generation.

_Fín_.

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Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing! Special thanks to all my readers who reviewed and/or favorited my story: zia9583, ouran4eva, yunibell, Selena Moonlight, BMalone93, Kevi-bear, and inuyasha4life17. Thanks everybody! It was all your amazingly encouraging reviews that got me through all twenty-one chapters!

Check my profile often for more fanfics!

_Domo-arigatou_ everyone!


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